A Father to the Fatherless
‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world’.
(James 1:27)
We are surrounded by people in need, but sometimes we do not see them.
When someone is widowed, they need the care of their friends, not only in the first week,
but in the months and perhaps years that follow. This may involve practical care such as meals
and advice and even housing and financial support. People who are connected to the prison
system are also especially vulnerable, whether they are prisoners, or the family of those in goal.
I had a friend who looked after people in the weeks after their release,
when they were trying to re-establish their lives. This was an important ministry.
The care of ‘orphans and widows’ reflects the nature of the God we worship
who cares for the fatherless and the orphaned (Psalm 68:5).
Question for thought: Do I have the eyes of love for those in special need?
Heavenly Father, we bring before you the Mothers Union family in the
Union of Episcopal Anglican Women of Brazil. Give them wisdom as they reach out to others in
your name and help to transform communities, giving practical support to victims
of domestic violence, immigrants and the elderly. Amen.