From the Assistant Rector

“Give to everyone who begs from you;
and if anyone takes away your goods,
do not ask for them again.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Luke 6: 30-31

There is a tension in that portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain that is uncomfortable at best. Now granted, Luke has a way of radicalizing things. Luke does seem to emphasize that the possession of wealth, unless distributed to the poor is something that could corrupt one’s relationship with God. In Luke’s “Sermon,” Jesus is speaking to would be disciples - “the multitude on the Plain.” These folks that Jesus spoke to were the ones who are hungry, poor, hurting, and hated - Now. “Give to everyone who begs from you.” That makes me uncomfortable. We should be able to make it on our own without having to beg anything from anyone. If you have a job and work hard you should be able to make it in this country. Well, that is not necessarily the case.

A book came across my desk that has been a real eye opener for me. Nickel and Dimed or (not) getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich has caused me to pause and begin to reflect again on some social justice issues in this country. Dr. Ehrenreich began her research into the issues surrounding the “working poor” during 1998 to 2000 - a time of unprecedented prosperity in this country. During her research she lived the life of a down-under working class minimum wage earner. Her story helped put flesh and bone on the statistics. She moved from Florida to Maine and then to Minnesota to take on low-wage blue collar work as waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing home aide, and Wal-Mart salesperson. We have all met these workers. Her work as a nursing home aid struck a cord. I have been the nursing supervisor as well as have my mother be the recipient of care from these aids. It is hard work. These workers get paid minimum wage at best.

You can simply read this book as the author’s own struggles and life experiences as a member of the working poor in this country. Or, it can become an intense self-reflection of how America’s privileged and ruling class have paid lip service to welfare reform; how corporate America is content to reap great profits while unskilled labor barely scrap by on minimum wage salaries.

Dr. Ehrenreich did not write her book, I think, with the Christian Community in mind. However, with Jesus’ words to challenge and guide us in our Christian walk, this book lends credence to Jesus’ teaching starting in Matthew chapter 25 verse 35 ff : “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?

And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?'

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ "

Again, this book challenges me to look again at how I respond to the poor in our midst. There are no easy answers. If you are looking for something to read, spend a little time with this book. It is an easy read but leaves one with questions to ponder. It may indeed leave the comfortable afflicted and challenged to love more deeply.