“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice . . . . ” Isaiah 42:3
Do we kick people when they’re down? Jesus doesn’t. But somehow, many of Jesus’ children, in the United States at least, have the reputation of being the last people the hurting want to see. The Church is supposed to be a hospital for all types of sick and wounded people, but as the phrase goes, we shoot our wounded. And to think, throngs of people surrounded Jesus, looking for all sorts of healing. Why aren’t more of those who hurt making their way to the Church? Some of us, and some churches repel those in most need, the least of these in the world, because of our smug self-righteoussness, because we act like nothing bad ever happens or is supposed to happen to Christians. The hurting and the searching can’t relate to such unreal people. We might be going through what some call a living hell, and still paste a fake smile on.Let us be more forthright in admitting that we suffer just like all human beings do. May Christ knit in us a welcoming, compassionate spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, a Spirit that draws others in. Of course Jesus repelled some people, but he repelled those who didn’t want him or thought that they had no need of him.