Faithful Action is a stewardship of the will. When I first moved to Central Texas I had a female Harris’ Hawk many of you met—Penrod. She was a great hunter of jackrabbits. She was strong and fast and highly skilled. She didn’t start off that way, but she went to the work of learning. My current female Harris' Hawk is similar in size and speed and strength to Penrod, but she is barely a year old, and she doesn't really know her capacities She has never caught a jack rabbit to my knowledge. She has made some half-hearted attempts that show me that she certainly can do it, but we don't know yet whether she will. There is a profound difference between capacity and choice.

Last week we talked about the stewardship of capacity. Jesus' parable of the talents showed how we have all been entrusted with talents. We all have the capacity. God expects us to use those talents for His purposes—the stewardship of our capacities. In today's Gospel lesson Jesus talks about the will. At the end of time the King will separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep will have done the will of the King, whether they knew it or not. The goats thought they did the will of the King but will not have. Some things are so unimportant to the King that they never even get mentioned: Theology, church affiliation, civic association, political views or party affiliation, committees or task groups you sat on, what we meant to do, or what we thought we did. The important stuff has to do with the choice to serve the needy. Ultimately, it has to do with the fact that we did it—not how, or even why, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these…” The fact of our action is what God is looking for. What did we choose to do?

By our track record, we at St. Christopher’s don’t want to be goats, we want to be sheep. Our parish does a lot of good for the poor. We are known as one of the most generous and active church fellowships in this community, regardless of size. Many of you know the truth of this firsthand. You have found at St. Christopher's a tangible, spiritual fountain of the love and grace of God. Your hearts are grateful for a chance to rest, grow, and be renewed, your hearts are challenged to get involved in the work of the Kingdom. Others around this community and in Honduras have received food when they are hungry. We support the Mission Soup Kitchen, and some of you volunteer there and at the Killeen Food Center. People get drink when they are thirsty. A woman came by a while ago asking for assistance. Among other things she was parched dry. We gave her water and sent her on her way with two sodas. I know you would have done the same. That is not to mention those who are spiritually hungry and thirsty who receive the water of life and the bread of salvation here. Strangers have found a home here. A priest walked into my office several years ago. He explained he was an Episcopal priest, a Nicaraguan, and he worked with Vistacare, He needed to borrow a Spanish prayer book and home communion kit. On a whim I took him at his word and sent him with what he needed. Fr. Lefy is now dying of cancer and I still visit him in his home. I lined up all the clergy of the convocation to go see him. He’s part of the family—this foreigner. The same could be said about Fr. Jorge, and then countless others who, in our transient society, walk through our doors unannounced.

People receive clothes when they are naked. We finally stopped taking clothes to Honduras because what was donated was more than the need! But we still take shoes, especially children’s shoes. The sick are attended to. The Daughters of the King recently cooked up and froze a bunch of casseroles for those coming out of the hospital who need prepared food. The number of people who have been to the Prayers for Healing during communion, and seen miraculous healing take place continues to rise. And what of those who through counseling with someone in the parish, or through the friendships afforded here, have found health for their tired and sick souls? They have been visited in prison. We have been involved in KAIROS in the past, and there have been more than one time when your priest and other members of the parish were at the county jail. Add those who are in spiritual bondage who find freedom here. They have been visited in their homes. The Lay Eucharistic Visitors take the sacrament to our shut-in every week.

All this is very good, for the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. We are committed to being this way. But to do all this takes all of us. Not any one of us does all of the above, not even the priest. (Heaven forbid—it would seriously limit what we could do!) We can only be faithful to God’s call when we work together as a family, each one doing their part in the fulfillment of the ministry of the whole. And yes, you are ministers. In the Book of Common Prayer, p. 855, (in the Catechism,) under the title “The Ministry” the first question reads “Who are the ministers of the Church?” The answer is “The ministers of the church are lay persons, bishops, priests and deacons.” Who is the first order of ministry listed? Lay persons—everybody here. We, together, are the ministers. Those who receive our ministry are first each other, and then the world. The King on His throne at the end of time will want to know whether or not we chose to fulfill our ministry.

Now God knows that a certain percentage of who you are and what you have needs to be expended on the maintenance of you and yours in a godly manner. But since the time of the ancient Israelites, the first people God chose for His own, He has asked His people to commit a tithe, 10%, to the work of the congregation in which one worships, a tithe of your time, talent and treasure, your grateful share in the work of the sheep. Today we sign on the dotted line, we turn in our pledge commitments for next year. This is your chance to join the team, to participate in serving the needy as God has asked, to take up the banner for the work God has given us, and to share together in His “Come, blessed of my Father…inherit the Kingdom prepared for you.”

Remember, there is a great difference between capacity and choice. Whatever your capacity, the question is what will you DO.

Fr. Paul Moore+