thirsty

(I wrote this after spending the summer of 2005 at the home for homeless elderly in Tijuana... It still breaks my heart to remember Angela's words.)

When I arrived at the Asilo one morning, Angela was yelling out for water. She had experienced a stroke not long before and was unable to get out of bed on her own. When I brought the glass of water to her, she spoke words to me that I will never forget: "God is not here. I am dying of thirst and nobody has brought me anything to drink. The Bible says that Christians should give water to those who are thirsty; Christians should show God's love. But no one brought me any water. So God must not be here, He must be very far away."

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me... Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did to one of the least of these, you did to me." (Matthew 25:34-40).