10/26/2026
October 25, 2026 – Meditation
When I read the passage from Matthew earlier this week, I was immediately brought back to my youth. Usually Sunday afternoons while preparing the roast for dinner, my mom would listen to a group called the Medical Mission Sisters (on vinyl no less!). If you haven’t heard of them, they are a group of Catholic Nuns who sing the stories of the Bible. The group, which still exists today, was started in 1925 with the initial goal of improving healthcare for women in what was then North India. Women were dying, especially during childbirth, because they were prohibited from receiving certain aspects of medical care from men.
The founder was a female Austrian doctor, Anna Engel. Her vision was that a group of women health professionals who dedicated their lives to God could make a difference in helping women have access to the healthcare they deserved. She saw this not only as a work of charity, but also one of justice.
Along the way, the goals have expanded to include environmental concerns, social justice issues, gender inequalities in developing countries and just about any issue that stifles the progress of women.
One of the Sisters, Miriam Therese Winter, joined in 1955 right after graduating high school. She thought that she too would be helping in a medical capacity but soon discovered that she could spread care and love through song rather than medicine. She went on to obtain several degrees, write hundreds of songs and several books.
I tell you this history, not just because I found it fascinating and awe-inspiring – actually, I felt like a little bit of an under-achiever after reading it – but also because their story is the epitome of our Gospel lesson today. Sister Miriam’s song, ‘Who is My Neighbour?’ is the song I thought of right away. Although it is based on the story of the Good Samaritan, it is most relevant here. The chorus (and don’t worry, I won’t try to sing it!) says, ‘Who is my neighbour? Who claims my word and deed? Anyone in need. Anyone in need.’
I could end right there probably but I also recalled some Indigenous teachings from my years in Grade 6 Social Studies. The concept is known as the Seventh Generation Principle. This powerful Philosophy comes from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy or the League of Five Nations, which is recognized as one of the oldest participatory democracies on Earth. It is estimated that the origin of these principles date back to before 1500 A.D. So, this isn’t a fleeting trend – this is ancient wisdom with lasting relevance.
One of the core concepts of the principle is long-term stewardship. Leaders and individuals must look beyond their immediate lives, families or communities to consider how their choices affect descendants decades and centuries down the line. It is a living timeline that looks back three generations (to our great grandparents) and ahead three generations (to our great grandchildren). This emphasizes the interconnectedness between past and future. It calls upon us to honour those who came before us while recognizing our responsibility to those yet to come. Here, our neighbours may not even be born yet!
Bruce Epperly, one of our go-to preachers, reiterates these thoughts. He says that today’s readings move us from self – interest to world loyalty; and from short term goals toward the well being of generations decades from now. The world is shaped one moment at a time, he continues. It is shaped by our decisions, our congregation’s mission, as well as the policies of our political leaders. All of us are creating the future by our actions today. We may never enjoy or even see the fruits of our actions, but still, we claim our ability to shape the future, and that is the point. Hope enables us to trust that God will use our finite lives as contributors to an everlasting adventure. What we do truly matters. We do something beautiful for God that will outlast our lifetimes. When we love God and let our love for God determine our behaviour and values, everything else falls into place. When we love God, all of our other loves are rightly ordered. Loving God turns us toward our neighbours and their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. True love invests in futures we will never experience and love children we will never meet, whether in other lands or future generations. The love that takes us beyond ourselves and invests in God’s vision gives us a peace that passes all understanding; a peace that can never be threatened by loss, aging or death. Pastor Epperly encourages us to commit to healing the world one act at a time.
According to believers.org, the command, “love your neighbour as yourself” appears 8 times in the Bible. In Leviticus 19 it was the original command given through Moses. In Romans 13, it is used by the Apostle Paul to summarize the law regarding others. In Galatians 5 the phrase is stated by Paul to show that the whole law is fulfilled in this one command. In James 2 it is referred to by James as the ‘royal law’. In the Gospels it is mentioned twice in Matthew; once in Matthew 19 where Jesus says, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’, and in Matthew 22, as we read today, it was cited as the second greatest commandment. It is also repeated by Jesus in Mark 12 during the debate on the greatest commandments. Finally, it is quoted in the Gospel of Luke in the conversation preceding the Parable of the Good Samaritan. So, you see, it’s kind of a big deal!
As we leave here today, we can think about our actions. Whether it be to make stone soup, share a laugh or cry – go forth and be a good neighbour.
May it be so.
Sources: medicalmissionsisters.org, patheos.com (Bruce Epperly),
theindigenousfoundation.org, believers.org
