Chrism

“Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” (Psalm 82:3)

If you have power, do good with it because you will have to answer for the power that has been given to you. Protect those that are injured, give advice and assistance to all who ask you. Defend the poor who have nothing to pay for counsel, and help the fatherless who are young and not able to help themselves. 

If you are in a position of power, administer justice impartially, and do right to the afflicted and needy, who while being weak and helpless, are often wronged by others even more. They could lose all if someone in power does not interfere for their relief. 

If a less fortunate person has an honest cause, his poverty or simplicity must be no prejudice to his cause, even if those that oppose him are great and powerful. Treat all people the same in justice, regardless of their wealth and status. Help the client, the patient, or the customer that has no money to pay, for we are obligated to do so. 

Our Lord, who has all the power, cared deeply for the poor and the afflicted and he showed this by his many miracles. He also instructed us to do the same in his name by following the two great commandments, to love God and to love our neighbors. Sometimes we focus only on the first commandment and we love God by our worship, our church visits, or our hymns, but we fail to love our struggling neighbor and care for them as Jesus cared for the afflicted.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me … Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40).

The above message from our Lord could not be any clearer and can be summarized in a simple and practical to do list for our lives:

• Feed those that are hungry and thirsty. Share your meal, and donate food when possible. 
• Invite the strange person or those who are alone and have nobody.
• Donate clothing, money and any other items to those in need.
• Take care of the sick, visit them, call them, provide for them, and check on their needs.
• Visit the prisoners, or those that are lonely and perhaps prisoners of their own mind. 

Let us use our God-given blessings of wealth and power to care for people, and to demonstrate God’s love through our justice and charity towards all who are afflicted and needy. For whatever we do for them, is what we do for God.