The Lay Reader's Letter (written by Gordon Gray) extends the tradition of the Vicar's Letter which has been appearing in the villages Focus magazine since August 2002
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Lay Reader's Letter

May 2017

One of the remarkable things about Jesus was the stories he told - we call them parables.

They are stories that have a deep meaning, designed to challenge people's thinking. Even more remarkable, most of Jesus' parables are highly relevant to today's circumstances. For example, last year I had to preach on the Sunday before the European Referendum when the Gospel reading for the day was the story of Gerasene swine. Like a number of ministers around the country I was able to demonstrate just how much Jesus' parable had in common with the arguments on either side of the referendum vote.

Today I want you to recall a diff erent story; it's a parable that is only found in Matthew's gospel - Chapter 25: 31-45. When Jesus first told the story it well and truly shocked those who heard it and it is just as profound today. Some people know the story as 'The parable of the sheep and the goats', others as 'The final judgement'.

In the parable Jesus identifies two sets of people. To one set of people he said "I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me." The other set of people, Jesus said, did none of those things.

The parable reports confusion in both groups - 'When did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, in prison?' they said. Obviously neither group could recall having seen Jesus in distress, but Jesus' startling retort was "I tell you, whenever you did (or didn't do) this for the least important person, you did it for me". Once again Jesus turns upside down the concept of 'neighbour' - not just the person who lives next door but any person, anywhere, and especially those who are the most vulnerable and most in need.

It is easy for us to turn a blind eye to the suff ering of poor peoples around the world - much of which has been inflicted on them through the actions of governments and big business so that we in rich nations can continue to live the comfortable lifestyles to which we have become accustomed.

The church talks a lot about the hope of life after death, but many of the world's poorest peoples get little chance to experience life before death. Today, sixty five million people worldwide face the terrible choice of fleeing conflict and disaster or making dangerous journeys in search of safety, perhaps risking their children's lives at sea in a plastic dinghy.

Well, this month there is no excuse for turning our back on the world's poorest people, for the week from 14-20 May is Christian Aid Week. Christian Aid Week was set up 60 years ago to support refugees in Europe following the Second World War - today the world faces a similar international problem and once again there is an urgent need to help relieve suff ering and build a world where everyone has a safe place to call home.

When someone knocks on your door and asks you to contribute to Christian Aid please don't ignore their request. How will you respond to Jesus' appeal on behalf of the world's neediest people?

Gordon - Reader at St Mary's Eaton Bray with Edlesborough

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About the Vicar's Letter

The Vicar's Letter has been appearing in the villages Focus magazine since August 2002.

The Rev. Peter Graham also used to publish The Vicar's Letter in the parish magazine of 1964. Please see the area for these.