Health warning: This is a generalised piece – it is not meant to criticise people in general but trends in the western church.
I wept for the world today. Does the church realise that Satan must be dancing? When we pray for the world, for HIV patients, for the victims of genocide, for the poor on our doorsteps, do we realise that we are the answer? Imagine a family who decide to build a mansion with a swimming pool , acres of grounds and beautiful furnishings rather than use that money to pay for the drugs their baby daughter needs to survive. When will we ever have enough; when will we be satisfied with what we have?
“I was hungry” said Jesus as a breastfeeding mother in Niger. The church took an offering for a respected charity and went for an expensive lunch in a trendy restaurant.
“I was thirsty” said Jesus as a child whose drinking supply had been poisoned by mining. The church gave a few pounds to build wells and went on to discuss its plans for a coffee shop ministry in their area.
“I was a stranger” said Jesus as an asylum seeker. The church continued, never hearing his whisper.
“I was naked” said Jesus as a trafficked twelve year old forced into prostitution in London. This was too painful for the church to cope with, and they quickly erased her from their memories.
I was sick and in prison” said Jesus as a drug addict. The church gave money to support work in the prisons so they didn’t have to visit him themselves.
He who strips a man of his clothes is to be called a thief. Is not he who, when he is able, fails to clothe the naked, worthy of no other title? The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit
St Basil
