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Session 1 – Nowhere to Lay His Head
We begin our journey with a focus on Jesus: his person and his teaching.
We begin our journey with a focus on Jesus: his person and his teaching.
Take a little time to read through the statistics and glossary in the front and back of this study guide. Take it in turns to share your thoughts on the various topics. Allow space for people to share their lack of understanding and any fears or prejudices. Our aim is not to judge each other, but to investigate our personal feelings about global phenomena.
Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by 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 something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
A Filipino worker in London shares her story. We’ve kept her identity anonymous.
I came to London because my employer moved here and wanted me to take care of his sister, who was paralysed and had high blood pressure. But they were not good to me, so I ran away.
They came to the UK because it was easier for them to get medication and healthcare. But the sister was always angry and shouting at me, so I was scared to be alone with her. And the working arrangements were very bad.
I was not allowed to go out and I got no days off. I slept on the floor and was not given enough food. So I ran away.
Now I am sharing a room with another Filipina worker. I am a part-time cleaner, visiting different houses each day; it’s hard to find full-time work because of the visa laws.
My family are in the Philippines, which is my home. I really miss them. I have three girls and a boy. Of the girls, two are married and the other is working in the Middle East to help support the family. I send money home to pay for medicine for my husband, who has diabetes, and to pay for my son’s school fees. I’ve also helped them to set up a small catering business to bring in an income. I plan to go back when my youngest child finishes at university, or earlier if the business succeeds.
When not working, I go to church, and I belong to the Filipino Domestic
Workers Association, which helps me; they give me hope, knowledge and confidence. The association is campaigning to bring back legal rights for migrant domestic workers, many of whom are being treated like slaves by their employers.
Most of all, I thank God for giving me strength to face the sad realities of my life and stand firm.
God, our rock and our redeemer,
We pray for those forced to leave to support families;
We pray for lives torn apart by absence and loss;
We pray for people missing loved ones and home;
We pray for chaplains, pastors and advocates in this context.
May we be willing to share our selves with the stranger in our midst.