Release to the captives and...
Illustration
"Release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind" was Jesus' proclamation (Luke 4:18) in his first sermon.
A rabbi asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day was dawning. "Could it be," asked one student, "when you see an animal at a distance and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?" "No," answered the rabbi. "Could it be," asked another, "when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree?" "No," said the rabbi. "Well, then, when is it?" his students demanded. "It is when you look on the face of any man or woman and see that he or she is your brother or sister. Because, if you cannot do this, then no matter what time it is, it is still night."
So what do you want most for the new year? A state prison warden in the midwest was about to celebrate his 25th year of service. He asked the inmates what kind of party they would like to mark the occasion. He shouldn't have been too surprised when they responded unanimously, "An open house." Well, that's the kind of celebration that can really make 1989 an exciting one for us --not an "open house" from which to escape but open arms and open hearts to all who need our love and concern. The Salvation Army summarizes its program with the words: "Soup, soap, and salvation." Salvation is important, but without the soup and soap people will wonder if we really care. And then they won't come. Dr. William Osler used to say to his medical students, "Gentlemen, the first requisite in the care of a patient is to care." That's also the first requirement in caring for spiritual needs. What better way "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord?"
A rabbi asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day was dawning. "Could it be," asked one student, "when you see an animal at a distance and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?" "No," answered the rabbi. "Could it be," asked another, "when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree?" "No," said the rabbi. "Well, then, when is it?" his students demanded. "It is when you look on the face of any man or woman and see that he or she is your brother or sister. Because, if you cannot do this, then no matter what time it is, it is still night."
So what do you want most for the new year? A state prison warden in the midwest was about to celebrate his 25th year of service. He asked the inmates what kind of party they would like to mark the occasion. He shouldn't have been too surprised when they responded unanimously, "An open house." Well, that's the kind of celebration that can really make 1989 an exciting one for us --not an "open house" from which to escape but open arms and open hearts to all who need our love and concern. The Salvation Army summarizes its program with the words: "Soup, soap, and salvation." Salvation is important, but without the soup and soap people will wonder if we really care. And then they won't come. Dr. William Osler used to say to his medical students, "Gentlemen, the first requisite in the care of a patient is to care." That's also the first requirement in caring for spiritual needs. What better way "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord?"
