Friday, October 19, 2018

Welcome This Child

For Saturday, October 20

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and
bear  with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was
 coming, the  demon  dashed him to the ground in
 convulsions. But Jesus  rebuked the unclean spirit,
 healed the boy, and gave him  back to his father.
 And all were astounded at the greatness
of God.
While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he
 said to  his disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears:
The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.’
 But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was
concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it.
 And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
 An argument arose among them as to which one of them was
 the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a
 little child and put it by his side, and said to them, ‘Whoever 
welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever
 welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least 
among all of you is the greatest.’
 John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons
 in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not
 follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him; for
 whoever is not against you is for you.’ Luke 9:37-50

Welcome

Maybe they seem very different
their words or lack thereof daunting
foods or behaviors slightly off
yet dealt loved by their Creator.

Often we invite the people nearby
the ones like us that understand
gentle folks who do not disturb
those who make us comfortable.

Yet our Creator designed them all
familiar and differently abled
the messy, obsessive and scared
all of us who need to be made home.

Surrounded by much abundance
nothing to fear, no one to exclude 
made in the image and heart of God
our tables with groan with joy.


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