TWO WEEKENDS AGO I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM LAURA VANCE ASKING IF I COULD COME FOR LUNCH ON THURSDAY. I WAS SO GLAD TO HEAR FROM HER AND IMMEDIATELY SAID "YES." IT WAS A FEW DAYS LATER THAT I REMEMBERED THAT THE STAFF HAD BEEN INVITED TO JEANNE CONDREY’S NEW HOME IN CARROLLTON FOR LUNCH THAT SAME DAY! I HATE IT WHEN I MAKE MISTAKES LIKE THAT, BUT WHEN I CALLED LAURA BACK, SHE SAID FRIDAY WAS FINE, SO IT WAS A WEEK OF TWO DELIGHTFUL LUNCHES. IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE JEANNE IN HER BEAUTIFULLY ANOINTED HOME. SHE HAS DONE MOST OF THE WORK HERSELF, AND SHE IS TRULY TALENTED AS A DECORATOR. I THINK SHE MISSES US, BUT IS REALLY GRATEFUL FOR HER NEW HOME.

THE NEXT DAY I GOT TO TRINITY TOWERS, AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF WORKMEN, TORN UP AREAS AND FENCING AROUND THE PLACE. LAURA WAS STANDING OUTSIDE WAITING FOR ME, TO LEAD ME THRU THE CONVOLUTED PATH TO THE ELEVATOR. THE RENOVATION GOING ON THERE IS INCREDIBLE. THEN, WITH A GLASS OF WINE, WE HAD A VERY TASTY LUNCH AND GOOD CONVERSATION. I HAVE FELT VERY WELCOMED, AND WHEN I TURNED TO THE GOSPEL FOR TODAY, I THOUGHT, YES, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN CUPS OF "COLD WATER," FOR WHICH I AM TRULY GRATEFUL.

THESE PAST FEW WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT JESUS’ WORDS TO HIS FOLLOWERS ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP. HE HAS BEEN TEACHING THEM ABOUT THE JOYS AND BURDENS OF FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, ABOUT THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP. THESE WORDS ARE SPOKEN BOTH TO THOSE MEN WHO WERE BEING SENT OUT, AS WELL AS TO THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER THEM. HE WANTS ALL WHO BECOME HIS FOLLOWERS, WHO ARE TO BECOME HIS NEW DISCIPLES, TO BE HOSPITABLE. EARLIER HE HAS SAID TO THEM, "YOU ARE TO LISTEN JOYFULLY TO THE GOOD NEWS, TO INVITE PEOPLE INTO YOUR LIVES, YOUR HOUSES, YOUR VILLAGE. BECAUSE JUST AS WE LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH WITH THE ANGELS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IT MIGHT BE." AND AS HE SENDS THEM OUT, AND HE ADDS TO THIS, "WHOEVER WELCOMES YOU, WELCOMES ME, AND WHOEVER WELCOMES ME, WELCOMES THE ONE WHO SENT ME."

THE NEXT PRONOUNCEMENT IS ABOUT PROPHETS. THE PROPHET IN THE BIBLICAL TRADITION IS DESIGNATED AND RECOGNIZED AS GOD’S SPOKESPERSON. A DISCIPLE IN A SENSE, CHARGED WITH SHARING THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WHO ULTIMATELY WILL RECEIVE GOD‘S BLESSING. JESUS GOES ON TO SAY "WHOEVER WELCOMES THE PROPHET IN THE NAME OF A PROPHET WILL RECEIVE A PROPHET’S REWARD." THAT REWARD IS SOMETIMES DUBIOUS AS WE KNOW FROM TALES OF PROPHETS IN HISTORY AND TODAY. MARTIN LUTHER KING, MOTHER THERESA, DESMOND TUTU ALL HAD ROUGH TIMES. BUT THERE ULTIMATELY THEY ARE BLESSED.

AND THEN WE COME TO THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON. MOST OF US KNOW A FEW PEOPLE WHO RADIATE RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE LIGHT OF GOD FROM THE CENTER OF THEIR BEING. THEY SEEM MUCH MORE SECURE THAN THE REST OF US AS THEY LIVE OUT THEIR FAITH. I RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM AN OLD FRIEND FROM GRADY DAYS. MARY JANE IS A NUN, NOW IN SOUTH AFRICA WORKING WITH HIV INFECTED CHILDREN. SHE SAYS IT IS AN ALMOST INSURMOUNTABLE TASK TO ATTEND TO THE BASIC NEEDS OF THESE CHILDREN, MUCH LESS GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO HAVE A CHANCE IN LIFE. I SEE HER AS TRULY RIGHTEOUS PERSON, GIVING WATER WHEREVER SHE GOES. AND SHE HAS HAD AN IMPACT OF MY FAITH.

I GUESS THAT LEAVES ALL THE REST OF US AS THE "LITTLE ONES." I THINK JESUS WAS NOT TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CHILDREN, BUT ABOUT US ORDINARY, UNSPECTACULAR CHRISTIANS. WE MAY HAVE PROPHETIC MOMENTS, WE MAY BE RIGHTEOUS AT TIMES. BUT I THINK WE ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH LIFE, DEPENDING ON GOD’S GRACE, AND DOING WHAT WE CAN TO CARRY OUT GOD’S MISSION THROUGH THE CHURCH AND ELSE WHERE. AND WHEN WE ARE GIVEN A CUP OF WATER WE ARE THANKFUL.

HOWEVER , BEYOND THAT, THERE IS A CLEAR DIRECTIVE. IT IS TO GIVE A CUP OF COLD WATER TO ANOTHER PERSON IN THE NAME OF A DISCIPLE. IT’S WELCOMING FELLOW CHRISTIANS AND OTHERS, OFFERING HOSPITALITY, BECAUSE CHRIST IS PRESENT IN ALL OF US. I THINK WE DO PRETTY WELL AT SAINT JOHN’S IN TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER, IN WELCOMING THE STRANGER, IN SHARING OUR GIFTS. BUT IT OUGHT NOT TO STOP THERE. THAT CUP OF COLD WATER IS FOR ALL PEOPLE, AND THE REWARD FOR SUCH HOSPITALITY IS THAT WE ENCOUNTER AND EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

WHENEVER I SEE THIS PASSAGE FROM MATTHEW, I RECALL A STORY I HEARD, A GOOD MANY YEARS AGO, THAT SEEMS TO POINT UP THE ISSUES. IT’S ABOUT THIS ENERGETIC, NEWLY KNIGHTED MAN, SIR LAUNFAL. ALTHOUGH HE HAS A LOVELY CASTLE, AND ALL THE COMFORTS AVAILABLE TO MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS, HE IS CONSUMED WITH A DESIRE TO FIND THE HOLY, GRAIL, THE CUP THAT CHRIST DRANK FROM BEFORE HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH.. HE GOT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO GO ON THE SEARCH, BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE HE WAS TO LEAVE HE HAD A DREAM. IN THE DREAM, JUST AS HE IS SETTING OUT ON HIS QUEST, HE IS STOPPED BY A BEGGAR AT THE PALACE GATES. ANNOYED AT THE DISTURBANCE HE FLINGS A PENNY IN THE BEGGAR’S DIRECTION AND RIDES ON. THE DREAM COVERS MANY YEARS OF FRUITLESS SEARCHING. NEVER DOES CHRIST EVEN GIVE HIM A GLIMPSE OF THE HOLY GRAIL.

LAUNFAL BECOMES AN OLD MAN AND FINALLY DECIDED TO RETURN HOME. AS HE COMES IN SIGHT OF THE CASTLE HE SEES ALL THE LIGHTS ABLAZE, IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE. WHEN HE RIDES UP TO THE GUARD HE IS TURNED BACK WITH A "NO BEGGARS ALLOWED!" COMMENT. IT IS THEN THAT LAUNFAL NOTICES THAT HIS SHINING ARMOR IS GONE, REPLACED BY DIRTY AND TATTERED CLOTHES. DEJECTEDLY, SITTING BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HE PULLS THE LAST CRUST OF BREAD FROM HIS POCKET. AS HE BEGINS TO EAT IT, HE NOTICES A BEGGAR NEARBY, IT’S THE SAME BEGGAR FROM MANY YEARS AGO. SIR LAUNFAL BREAKS THE BREAD AND GIVES HALF TO THE BEGGAR. THEN HE GOES TO THE BROOK AND DRAWS WATER FOR BOTH TO DRINK FROM THE OLD KNIGHT’S WOODEN BOWL. SUDDENLY A STRANGE THING HAPPENS. THE CRUST TASTES LIKE FINE BREAD AND THE WATER LIKE THE FINEST WINE. HE HEARS CHRIST SAYING, "NOT WHAT WE GIVE, BUT WHAT WE SHARE, FOR THE GIFT WITHOUT THE GIVER IS BARE. WHO GIVES HIMSELF WITH HIS ALMS FEEDS THREE, HIMSELF, HIS HUNGERING NEIGHBOR, AND ME."

SIR LAUNFAL LOOKS DOWN AT HIS WOODEN BOWL AND IN HIS HAND HE HOLDS THE HOLY GRAIL. THE SEARCH IS OVER. HE WAKES ABRUPTLY FROM HIS DREAM. IT IS MORNING. " PUT AWAY MY ARMOR AND MY SWORD," HE INSTRUCTS THE SERVANTS. "I AM NOT GOING TO DISTANT COUNTRIES TO LOOK FOR THE HOLY GRAIL. IT IS RIGHT HERE." AND HE OPENS THE GATES OF HIS CASTLE TO THE POOR AND THE HUNGRY.

I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES WE THROW PENNIES AT THE BEGGAR. IT’S WONDERFUL TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS, AND TO HAVE FRIENDS SHARE WITH US. THAT’S PART OF WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO. BUT THEN THERE ARE THE STRANGERS PRESENTED TO US IN OUR LIVES, AND THE FEAR WHICH WE EXPERIENCE WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO THE DOOR, OR ASKS FOR MONEY, OR SEEMS UNKEMPT, PUTS US IN A DIFFICULT POSITION. I CAN THINK OF ANY NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN I HAVE FELT CAUGHT IN CONFLICT ABOUT WHAT TO GIVE, OR TO WHOM WE SHOULD OFFER HELP.

THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS TO THAT DILEMMA. TO GIVE AN ADDICT MONEY IS PROBABLY NOT HELPFUL. BUT A MEAL CAN OFTEN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AN INVITATION TO HOSPITALITY CAN BE DANGEROUS IF THE PERSON IS A CRIMINAL, BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW? PRAYER IS USUALLY MY FIRST CALL, ASKING GOD TO GIVE ME WISDOM, THE ABILITY TO DISCERN, AND THE WILLINGNESS TO GO OUT ON A LIMB IF THAT IS WHAT IS NEEDED. I SUPPOSE SOME OF MY JUDGMENTS ARE BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE TOO. BUT I OFTEN WONDER IF THAT IS A CHRIST LIKE WAY OF ACTING IN SUCH SITUATIONS.

JESUS LIVED IN TIMES AS PERILOUS AS OURS. HE TRAVELED THE COUNTRYSIDE WITH A MOTLEY GROUP OF PEOPLE, SCRUFFY AND UNSOPHISTICATED. AND SEEMINGLY FEARLESS. I AM NOT AN ADVOCATE OF THE WWJD THINKING. I SEE HIS RESPONSE TO SITUATIONS AS TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE AND THEREFORE I HESITATE TO THINK OF "WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?" BUT I AM VERY AWARE OF WHAT HE WOULD HAVE US, AS DISCIPLES DO. FEED THE HUNGRY, GIVE A CUP OF COLD WATER TO THE LITTLE ONES. IF THE RECIPIENT OF THAT WELCOME IS BLESSED, AS WE HAVE ALL BEEN MANY TIMES, EVEN MORE BLESSED IS THE GIVER.

The Rev. Ruth T Healy - Associate Priest