Candice's Comments

In his final moments with his disciples, the Good Shepherd asks Peter, "Do you love me?"

"Yes," Peter replies.

Then, "Feed my lambs," Jesus tells him. "Tend my sheep."

Three times, Jesus passionately repeats his instruction, pressing his followers: "If you love me, take care of the people I love. Live your love for me by actively tending these for whom I have sacrificed everything" (John 21:15-19).

February 21-28 we will have an opportunity to offer our gifts to Week of Compassion, empowering Disciples' relief, refugee and development fund, meeting basic needs in Christ's name throughout the world, and sharing resources that strengthen people to improve their own lives and communities. Each of us will decide how to respond to Jesus' question, "Do you love me?"

The members of the family of God - from those we know to distant sisters, brothers, and cousins in parts of the world we may never visit - are God's flock, the sheep of God's pasture (Ezekiel 34:31). Yet, God's flock is often forcefully scattered and stalked, as people are chased from their homes and livelihoods by brutal expressions of war, as communities and futures are blasted by natural disasters, as societies and countries are ground down by unrelenting hunger, disease, and poverty.

Jesus calls us to tend his sheep caught in these situations of deep need. And with love and energy the Church responds!

Through Week of Compassion,
-disaster victims quickly receive shelter, food, water, and medical supplies.
-local communities develop secure sources of food and clean water.
-minds and bodies grow stronger with new schools and medical clinics.
-refugees receive housing and long-term help to construct new lives.

In challenging times, we often wonder how much we can afford to sacrifice to help feed Jesus' beloved sheep, when our needs remain pressing. Perhaps only our prayerful conscience can answer that. But remember the feeding of the 5,000: when Jesus asked the disciples to feed the thronging crowd, the disciples despaired (Mark 6:34-44). The five loaves and two fish seemed insignificant compared to the massive need. Yet when each gave sacrificially from what they had, through God's blessing, their gifts turned into a miracle of compassion for all.

Through Week of Compassion, our gifts meet compelling needs in Haiti, the United States and all around the world, while also bringing the blessing of compassion into our own lives. The current economic situation is challenging for many of us. For many others, it has pushed beyond challenging to be life-threatening. I hope you will join me in giving generously to the Week of Compassion Offering this year. Let us heed Jesus' call to feed his sheep with a generous, even sacrificial, gift to Week of Compassion. Sharing our resources will change lives - including our own.

Blessings,
Candice