Lord, when did we see You? In “The Stranger”
Attendees and their mentors will embark on a journey led by faith and United Methodist teachings to explore the many and diverse ways we experience the Lord. For Pilgrimage 2021, we will focus on finding the Lord in “the stranger.”
In the first year of the 2021-2024 Pilgrimage quadrennium, the community at Pilgrimage 2021 will explore part one of a four part series based on the overall theme God In Unexpected Places.
God In Unexpected Places
2021: Lord when did we see you? In the Stranger
2022: Lord when did we see you? While Seeking Wellness
2023: Lord when did we see? While Experiencing Creation
2024: Lord when did we see you? While in Exile
God In Unexpected Places is based on Matthew 25: 34-46.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”