Unexpected Strangers

Over the past few days, we have been talking about the radical inclusion of Christ's teaching.  From the vantage point of the first century, Jesus acted and taught outside the standard religious ways of thinking.  He regularly visited and healed in pagan places.  He responded graciously to soldiers and outcasts.

Carlos and Hector

Because our worship has taken place in public places, someone asked if we would refuse to serve communion to a stranger if they asked.  Following the lead of Christ, I said we would never turn anyone away.

Even so, I was unprepared when we were renewing baptismal vows at the Jordan River and a strange man got in line for a blessing.  Carlos look at me with such longing that I couldn't possibly refuse.  I turned to his son, Hector, who was standing nearby and asked if he too wanted a blessing. They spoke no English and I no Spanish but somehow we figured out a way to communicate the universal love of God as the water was poured over their heads.  There were tears in all our eyes as I made the Catholic sign of the cross which they repeated.  Soon after, someone who I can only assume was Carlos' wife, a women appeared and all she could say was, "gracious."  She too received the blessing of God's love.

For each of us, we long to hear God's words of love:  "You are my beloved."  Standing in the river on that early Wednesday morning, I was moved and honored to speak those words of love on God's behalf to those in our group.  But somehow, I only felt God saying them back to me when God gave me the gift of three unexpected strangers.  I heard, "You too are my beloved.  In you I am well pleased!"

River Jordan Baptism Site