Monday in Holy Week

I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness,
I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the nations,
To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. (Isa.42:6,7)

I am becoming more and more convinced that there is a profound connection between our identification with Christ and our identification with the poor, the marginalized and the forgotten. Perhaps, our life and ministry need to be defined in terms of our passion for those in need of our compassion, and not as much in terms of our passion for quiet times, Scripture reading and the like. Action is sacramental and is not to be seen as inferior to the obviously spiritual activities. Nouwen writes the following on the subject of prayer and action:

"Action with and for those who suffer is the concrete expression of the compassionate life and the final criterion of being a Christian. Such acts do not stand beside the moments of prayer and worship but are themselves such moments. Jesus Christ, who did not cling to his divinity, but became as we are, can be found where there are hungry, thirsty, alienated, naked, sick, and imprisoned people. Precisely when we live in an ongoing conversation with Christ and allow his Spirit to guide our lives, we will recognize him in the poor, the oppressed, and the downtrodden, and will hear his cry and respond to it wherever he reveals himself."