Remind me, Lord, that the path to Your throne does not lead through palaces, but past the hungry and the sick.
We will all gather before You, without exception. And You will separate us, as a shepherd separates his flock. Not by our words, not by our talents, but by something so simple, so hidden, that it seems almost insignificant: by acts of love.
Open my eyes, that I may see You
Lord, today You teach me that You hide Yourself. You do not hide in the clouds or in heavenly halls, but You hide in plain sight, in those whom we so easily overlook.
You hide in the hungry who ask for a piece of bread, in the thirsty who long for a drop of water. You are the traveler seeking shelter, the naked in need of clothing. You are the sick, lonely in their bed, and the prisoner, forgotten by the world.
You tell me so clearly where I can find You.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40)
O, Lord, how I long to hear those words, so full of warmth and acceptance. How I yearn to stand at Your right hand and hear Your voice.
“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.’” (Matthew 25:34)
Help me to understand that every act of mercy, done in silence and without expectation, is not merely a good deed, but is a loan to You Yourself.
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.” (Proverbs 19:17)
Give me the strength to bear the burdens of others today, for I know that only in this way will I fulfill Your law of love.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Guard me from a closed heart
Lord, above all else, I fear blindness. I am afraid that I might walk past You and not recognize You. I am afraid of being so preoccupied with my own worries that my heart grows hard to my brother’s distress. For You know what is in me; You see into my heart.
Please, protect me from having the means to help, yet closing my heart. For Your Word warns me.
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)
Expand my heart, so that I may love not only those who are near to me, but also those who are far, and even those who wrong me. Grant me the grace to do good without expecting anything in return, for this is the way of Your sons and daughters.
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35)
Lord, let this day be an opportunity to encounter You. Not in grand events, but in the small, hidden acts of service. Let me feed You, give You drink, welcome You, clothe You, and visit You today in my brothers and sisters.
Amen.
Amen 🙏