Pentecost IV
This brief reading from Matthew, today (all texts appointed for the day can be found here), is a continuous reading from last week's section: Jesus is finishing up his instructions to the 12 disciples, sending them out into the wider world on their own to proclaim that the 'reign of God' is actually at hand. After all the instructions and wisdom about sharing, proclaiming, and embodying this redemptive peace, he offers cryptic but reassuring words about 'rewards' not being lost.
No matter how far removed from The Great Ones (prophets, the righteous, the disciples!), and no matter how small the act -- 'even a cup of cold water' -- nothing shall be lost, and all is part of the great movement of proclaiming God's presence and healing, and justice and truth, in this world, and for this world's transformation.
Nothing is lost. Nothing too small. No degree of relationship to the profound and holy is unworthy, or is 'not part' of The Work. "Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me... and the one who sent me." So, in what manner are we making ourselves -- and this proclaiming of God's presence and reality/'reign' -- present and real in the world, and in the lives of those with whom our lives are intertwined? Nothing is too small to 'matter' in this work, and thus nothing is too small to remain unexamined. Even a gift of a cup of water is a place to examine motive, manner, and relationship.
And, extend the metaphor in whatever way is useful to you, in your own sphere. I am attentive to environmental/l;andscape questions, and so I find myself asking about who has access to a cup of water -- 'even' a small cup of water clean enough to drink? Our ancestors guarded their wells as the sources of life and continuance they were and are. New York City residents can easily ignore our own access at times, and the source of our water is divorced from our immediate eco-system -- we are drinking the upper Delaware watershed, as you know! Who does that place us in relationship with/to? Who is offering whom a small cup of water? No gesture is too small, and all small gestures are connected to larger systems, like that small cup of water in New York being connected to the upper Delaware and the rivers, lakes, pipes, and creatures in between.
Nothing is lost; no effort inconsequential. No thought or behavior unworthy of notice. God works through all things, little things in particular, wringing transformation out of it all.
Grace and peace be with you this week.