Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Matthew 25:34-40 (New International Version)

34"Then the King will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take
your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world. 35For I was
hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was
sick and you looked after me, I was in prison
and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you something
to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger
and invite you in, or needing clothes and
clothe you? 39When did we see you sick
or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Reflection:

I have a question for you today.  Do you
want to be close to God? 
In many of my Reflections, there has been a
central theme, a central thought.  That is
"God is there for you"  Now I'm asking you,
Do you want to be close to God?  If you do,
and if its ok with you, I would like to tell you
one of the ways you can be close to God. 
Jesus tells us. As a believer, when you do
something, in God's name, for some one else,
you are doing it for God, "you are close to God".
When you feed the hungry (physically/spiritually),
give a drink to the thirsty (physically/spiritually),
invite a stranger in your home, give clothing to
the poor, care for the sick (physically/spiritually),
visit someone in prison (physically/spiritually),
YOU ARE CLOSE TO GOD.
"Whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did for me."


Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.