My wife said, "Watcha doin today?"
I said, "Nothing."
She said, "You did that yesterday."
I said, "I wasn't finished."
When it comes to doing what Jesus wants us to do, we have unfinished work from yesterday. In this reflection I want to challenge us to the greatest role Jesus calls us to, namely, being Christ to others; continuing His work on earth.
There is much suffering and sickness in the world, just as there was in Jesus' time. In Mark 6:56 we read that many tried to get close enough to this miracle worker to touch his garment, and all those who touched it were cured. Where is that garment today?
To me the challenge is for us to become the fringe of His garment for others to touch. That sounds awfully difficult, yet it is simple. To be the fringe of Christ to others,
love has to be born in us. Without love, no one is right.
In Ephesians 5:30 the members of Christ's Church are looked after by Christ "because it is his body - and we are its living parts." The community of believers is the body of Christ. Physically and spiritually, we are one with the risen and glorified body of Christ.
This is easy to recognise in saints like Mother Theresa offering the incense of her life in the streets of Calcutta or Maximilian Colby who stepped up and offered his life for another at Auschwitz. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. If we simply start each day with love in our hearts, we do not worry about robbing, murdering or slandering our family and neighbours.
We do not need to worry so much about our determination to avoid sin when we are determined to let God's love spill out of us. Love each other intensely, St. Peter told the Christians in 1 Corinthians 13:7. Love covers a multitude of sins.
To be the fringe of His garment we need to go where Jesus went when he was alive. We need to visit the sick, comfort the afflicted, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and do what we can to provide for the spiritual and physical needs of others.
For some this may mean praying for others, instructing others, or simply being the best parent, spouse or child you can be. Being there for someone when they need you is being that garment of Christ.
The challenge to the Christian, to us, is to be the fringe of Christ's cloak, so those who touch us have touched the Lord. When your spouse needs you, when your child needs you, when mom or dad needs you, just be there in love and support.
You are writing a Gospel,
A chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do,
And the words that you say.
All may read what you write,
If it's false or it's true.
Now what is the Gospel
According to you?
Author unknown
