Remember the Poor

          Galatians 2:10  They asked only one thing that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.

          The Apostle Paul continues his account of his ministry in chapter 2 of the Book of Galatians.  In particular, he was recounting his version of the events at the Jerusalem Council.  Paul’s account differs with the version found in the book of Acts of the Apostles.  Paul’s account is the earlier record and it was Paul speaking about events in which he participated.  The account in the book of Acts is about 50 years older and is second hand.

          The Council of Jerusalem convened around the year 48/50 CE in response to an incident in Antioch which questioned the necessity of non-Jews undergoing circumcision in order to become Christians.  The book of Galatians struggles with that question.  In that struggle we learn other things that are more pertinent to the 21^st Century.  One of those things is the verse quoted in this blog post.  After much rancor, the Council sent both Peter and Paul out to preach the good news of Jesus without the entrance requirement of circumcision.  However, they were instructed to remember the poor.

          Can we hear those words amid the contentiousness of our daily life?

          What might those words look like?

          For one thing, to “remember the poor” is to build a relationship with those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder.  Peter and Paul were not being instructed to administer a detached charity relief program.  They were being commissioned to be in ministry with the poor ones.

          Again what does that look like?  Read Matthew 25:31-46 to find out.

          Miguel Manzano and Jose Antonio Oliver wrote the lyrics for one our newer hymns.  It comes to us in Spanish and is translated into English by George Lockwood.  It is #624 in the hymnal used by St. Paul’s UCC.  This is what Peter and Paul’s commission to go out and preach the Gospel and remember the poor means.  It is a shared ministry of living into God’s Vision for our world.  Here are the lyrics:

When the Poor Ones

Cuando el Pobre

When the poor ones who have nothing share with strangers,

          when  the thirsty  water give unto us all,

when the wounded in their weakness strengthen others,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When at last all those who suffer find their comfort,

          when they hope though even hope seems hopelessness,

when the wounded in their weakness strengthen others,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When our joy fills up our cup to overflowing,

          when our lips can speak no words other than true,

when we know that love for simple things is better,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When our homes are filled with goodness in abundance,

          when we learn to make peace instead of war,

when each stranger that we meet is called a neighbor,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us,

          then we know that God still goes that road with us.

They asked only one thing that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.  That was the commission to Peter and Paul from the Council of Jerusalem.  That is our commission from Jesus.  Together with the poor we will bring into reality the Vision of God.

Grace and Peace

Rev. Clara