The Most Vulnerable Among Us

The season of Advent is upon us.  It is the start of the liturgical year where we look to the past when Christ first came, we look forward to Christ’s coming again, and we look for him in the present. 

The reading appointed for Morning Prayer on this Monday in the first week of Advent reminds us:

Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation— I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Is. 1: 10-20)
 

Isaiah tells us that God desires goodness and justice. As God’s image bearers, we are called to care for those made in His likeness and image.  We are called to care for those who cannot care for themselves, the weak and the vulnerable among us: the oppressed, the orphan, the sick, the child in the mother's womb, the elderly, and the widow. It is in their faces, the faces of the most vulnerable, that we see Jesus.

Let us pray: O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.