Day 3: Matthew 3:1-17
Reflection
John the Baptist appears on the stage of Matthew’s Gospel dressed in the classic garb of a Hebrew prophet and eating locusts and wild honey (traditional prophet food). John is the culmination of the long line of prophets who have come before and whose words and witness have pointed to the coming of the Messiah. However, if John appeared on our streets today dressed in this way, we might perceive him as a fringe person and a beggar rather than the final flower of the Hebrew prophetic tradition. Even in his own day, John was out on the fringe. God appears to have a preference for appearing on the fringes of human life and history. No historical mention of the Israelite’s exodus from slavery in Egypt has been found other than in scripture. As important as the prophets are to our tradition, they were not particularly newsworthy in their own day. Israel was a faraway and troublesome province of the Roman Empire. Jesus was born in an out-of-the-way town, and so on. There is a distinct connection between God’s appearing and beggars. Later in Matthew, Jesus says that giving a cup of water or a coat to a beggar or visiting a prisoner is in fact serving Jesus. That is, Jesus is making his appearance as the thirsty or naked or imprisoned. There is indeed a connection between seeing a beggar and encountering God. Seeing God in the beggar and the needy is a work of the heart. It takes practice to begin seeing the beggar. Indeed, a church without beggars is a museum.
Questions
Why is a church without beggars a museum? Where are the beggars in your church?
Prayer
God, give us the grace and sight to see you in unexpected places. And give us the strength and courage to serve you when we see you in our neighbors. Amen.
Crafton, Barbara Cawthorne. A Journey With Matthew: The 50 Day Bible Challenge . Forward Movement. Kindle Edition.
The Rt. Rev. Clifton DanielBishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania
Crafton, Barbara Cawthorne. A Journey With Matthew: The 50 Day Bible Challenge . Forward Movement. Kindle Edition.
