Mark Twain once said that he was most bothered not by the parts of the Bible he couldn't understand, but by the parts he could understand. Sometimes, often in fact, we are called to step outside of our comfort zone to live the Gospel. Like Mark Twain, we are most bothered by the parts of the Bible we can understand. Every Minister of Hospitality (volunteer) at Grace House has had the courage to step outside of their comfort zone in order to live the Gospel...and we are grateful for their service. Yet, after they enter the house, they become more comfortable with our guests. Our Ministers of Hospitality are warmly greeted and appreciated for their service. They soon realize their serving hands are transformed into the hands of Christ...and the hands which reach out to receive...are also transformed into the hands of Christ.

The Gospel story in Matthew 14 tells of the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus calls the question. He calls the disciples to respond to the need before them. The disciples panic about the lack of food for all those who are hungry. They say, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." And Jesus says, "They do not need to go away, YOU give them something to eat." Can you hear their collective gulp? Can you imagine Peter standing there...like a deer in the headlights? Another disciple whispers, "Say WHAT? You want US to give them something to eat?" Jesus frequently calls the question in the scriptures.

Who do you say I am?
Will you follow me?
Will you lay down your life?
Will you serve those on the edge of society whom others have cast away?
Will you offer my compassion?

Perhaps Mark Twain squirmed just a bit when he read the words from Matthew, You give them something to eat . The disciples were overwhelmed by the great need, and especially the apparent lack of provision. They turned to the "miracle maker" for help and said something equivalent to, "Hey, we've seen you do a couple of miracles, but this is just TOO much to handle here! You're going to have to ask them to leave."

Suddenly the tables are turned. Jesus wants THEM to take responsibility. He wants THEM to become the hands that serve and feed the 5,000.

Today, the Church finds itself in the uncomfortable (squirmy) place of Jesus calling the question.

Unsheltered homeless individuals need a place to sleep out of the rain, will you open your doors at night for them....Will you open the door for ME?"

Homeless individuals in Davis spend nearly five hours and four different bus rides to pick up their medications in Woodland. No pharmacy in town will offer this service to the poor. Will you advocate for them? Will you send an unsheltered and ill guest without transportation to another town to get their medications when they are sick and weak? Our Lord asks the question again,

"Is that how you treat ME when I am sick and weary?"

Will you show compassion to a homeless man who has just heard a police officer say to him, "I have scraped better "stuff' off of my shoes than you." Will you tell him how sorry you are that he was treated so rudely by someone who is paid with your tax dollars? Will your church Gospel Justice Commission speak out or try to work with the police to educate them on how to show compassion toward the poor in your wealthy town?

Will you write letters to the county and state legislators asking them to reinstate funding for indigent care for those seeking rehabilitation and detox from drug addiction so they can overcome the demon of addiction?

Will you become Christ's hands, heart, feet and eyes of compassion in our hurting world?

Grace in Action has been calling the question too. "How does God want us to transform?" Our Board of Directors has gone through a period of prayerful discernment to see where it is that God is calling us next. And in so doing, we have come to the clear realization that we are NOT called to be a "social service agency." There are already local service agencies for that purpose. We are not called to duplicate their work.

Then what IS Grace in Action supposed to do? It's simple...very....very...simple. We provide food for the body, food for the soul.

When Jesus says, "YOU give them something to eat." That's what we do...and like Mother Teresa, we endeavor to serve the poor by loving one person at a time. We are not a social service agency, we are a community ministry. We have refined our mission statement, we are reorganizing our board and staffing structure and we are inviting churches in our community to embrace Grace in Action as mission...perhaps even as "backyard or local missionary."

When Jesus calls the question of Grace in Action, "Will YOU give them something to eat?" We respond to their needs as Jesus would by giving thanks, breaking the bread and feeding them...physically and spiritually. And by the Grace of God through your generous support...no one is sent away hungry.

With gratitude for your support, donations and prayers,

Cindy Burger,
Spiritual Director and Program Coordinator