Say man, do you love me . . ..(allusion to John 21:15)

I had a conversation with a friend several years ago. He said that it was not the place of government to take care of everyone. At that time he was referring to the "welfare" system. He couched his concern in religious terms, saying that welfare was the work of the church, not government. I agreed with him, to his surprise, and told him that the church should surely get to work and handle the problem. If the church would handle the problem, the government could get out of the business. I asked him how we were going to start, because surely he did not mean we should wait for the government to quit before we got started, that just wouldn't make sense, too many people would suffer in the meantime. He still hasn't given me an answer.

With all the rhetoric about making government smaller by cutting spending, I wonder if the national discussion is missing the point.

Perhaps a more basic discussion needs to be had. Perhaps we need to be honest.

Should the hungry be fed? Should the homeless be provided shelter? Should those in poverty be helped? Should widows and orphans be cared for? Should the elderly be given help? Should equal opportunity for quality education be provided for all? Should the sick get medical care if they cannot afford it?

I'm not asking whether government should do it or not. I think it might be helpful to have an honest, outloud discussion as to whether Americans believe these are things that should be done, by the government, the church, the Civitans, or not at all. I wonder, if we are honest, what the answer will be.

There are logical public policy arguments as to why the government has an interest in addressing these questions. But that will be a subject for another post, if I can remember. Tonight I just want to ponder, are these things we believe should be done, or not? Because if a majority of the people truly do not believe that these things should be done, then maybe the government should not do it.

I ask these questions because right now the government provides health care for the poor and elderly, food assistance for families, aid for those in poverty, and public education. If the government does not provide these things, then either someone else will have to do so, or they won't be provided.

I wonder, is that what we as a country are really saying? That we do not care whether the hungry are fed, the sick are cared for, children are given a fighting chance, those in poverty are lifted up, homeless are given shelter, and the elderly security in their final years?

That is the first question. Do we really care?

Then we can decide who will do it.

In years past I worked in a prison ministry. (The ministry I worked in was called Kairos, one of several great programs). While I was working that ministry I was struck by the depth and commitment of the Church within the walls of the prison. Being a practicing Christian was not exactly the coolest thing in the eyes of a large number of residents of the institution, and their opinions could be expressed quite brutally. But the committed believers just kept on believing, trying, transforming and caring. I wondered if I would be so faithful under the same pressure.

About the same time one of the parables of Jesus' began to really get after me. It is called the parable of the wedding feast , found in Matthew 22. It is an odd parable, particularly the end, but the main story line involves a man who was throwing a wedding feast for his son. He sent out save the date cards and invitations to all the right people. On the day of the feast he sent his attendants to tell those who had been invited that the dinner was done and it was time to come. No one showed up. He sent them out to tell the invitees once again. Again they didn't show up. So the angry father killed them all and burned their city. He told his attendants to go out into the streets and invite anybody who would come to a good party. And that crowd showed up. The country club was full. Jesus ended the parable by saying, "Many are invited, but few are chosen."

What has the got to do with anything, you might ask.

The majority of Americans still claim to be Christian. As Christians it is indisputable that we are called to feed the hungry, tend to the widows and orphans, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, care for the sick, visit the lonely and imprisoned, to love and serve, and to do so without condition. If Jesus is the way, as we so often like to say when we are planning our route to heaven, then we need to remember this is the way Jesus is. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and all the rest. And that is the way Christians are too. If we are not like that, then, well, let's just say it's something to think about.

Because the invitations to the banquet have been sent out. And if we don't respond, someone else will get our place at the table. I expect several of my prison buddies will get seats close to the front. And at times I wonder if I will make it past the velvet rope.

It would be nice if government did not have to do all these things Jesus asked us to do.

Asked us to come and do.

Invited us.

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