Escaping Anonymity

If you were going to help someone, would you want everyone to know, or would you do it privately?

They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. - Mark 7:32-33

In today's Gospel, Jesus is approached by a man who begs for his help.

How many times has this happened to all of us?

Now the fact that the type of help Jesus gives is beyond the scope of what we can do should not prevent us from connecting with this story.

All of these accounts have a point of connection for us if we delve deep enough into them.  In this case, the message may be one of discretion.

Jesus chose to do his work in private, even though it didn't turn out that way.  Anonymity matters.

For Jesus, our acts of kindness, like our prayers and sacrifices are personal, witnessed only by God and the person or persons for whom we act.

It helps all of us avoid the embarrassment and the stigma of begging for help or pleading for assistance.

What we do in private should stay in private.

Now everyday, we feed all who come to our table, and all we ask is that they sign in, so we can keep a count of all the meals we serve.

Perhaps we shouldn't even do that, but just give, but those who are generous enough to support us want to know how many people we are reaching.  There are some, though, who don't come.  They may be too ashamed or they may not be able.

Some who do come, ask for a meal for those who cannot or won't come.  We like to see the faces of those we serve, but the thought that our actions extend beyond the faces to the ones in private should make us glad.

Jesus didn't have to invite people to come; they just came.  And for us, the same is true.  As word spreads, if all are able, they will eventually come.  So, we need the community to come as well.

We all need to be in this together, helping each other and making each other welcome.

So, come.  Visit.  Be a part of this ministry.  Escape your anonymity and discover the joy of serving.

It may change how you feel about life.

More to come...