Fasting For Justice...

Wow. An empty plate.

This empty plate represents two different things that can and ought to be united into one issue.

The homeless citizens of St. Petersburg, Florida, are in danger of losing meals and fellowship.

Churches, other non-profit organizations, and caring individuals are in danger of losing a valuable ministry opportunity.

It is not exaggerating the matter to say the free expression of religion is at stake.

And that's a First Amendment issue.

The St. Petersburg City Council is preparing to enact an ordinance that would effectively make it illegal to feed homeless citizens in public parks throughout the city.

They want to do this soon and when they do, feeding will become illegal and this young lady will become a criminal...rather than being recognized as a humanitarian:

You can learn more of the details concerning this ordinance here and here.

So what can we do about this? Perhaps Ghandi said it best:

So how do we become "the change"? It all begins with this:

Kathleen Lambert, a friend, minister, and co-worker in homeless advocacy, has come up with a brilliant idea.

This Saturday, Holy Saturday, Kathleen and I humbly ask that you would fast in solidarity with the homeless citizens of St. Petersburg, Florida, as well as in solidarity with homeless, hungry people all over the world.

Surely, you can skip eating for one day, the day Christ lay in the grave, while prayerfully meditating upon and considering how we can overcome this direct assault on both the health/welfare of those without homes and the free practice of religious faith through "hands-on" ministry.

Perhaps Richard Jones, pastor at The Uprising, a church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, expressed this sentiment best in a comment on yesterday's blogpost:

The freedom of religion and no establishment clause of the Constitution gives me as much liberty to feed the homeless on public property as it does the right to proclaim the gospel on the sidewalk. One is the exercise of my faith through spoken words, the other is practicing my faith through good works...these laws enacted by local governments, are thinly cloaked prejudices...by those who are in power...they don't want the "homeless" making their city look bad. 

Can you stand in solidarity with Kathleen Lambert, myself,  and other homeless advocates in St. Petersburg and the world? Can you more importantly, stand in solidarity with the homeless citizens of St. Petersburg and the world?

Can you miss a few meals on Saturday and feel the hunger these people feel every day?

Can you prayerfully fast and consider strategies and tactics that might help us in this fight against the powers and principalities that seek to restrain us?

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:12 KJV)

Please feel free to offer encouragement and suggestions for action in comments to this blogpost, by contacting me on Facebook, or by contacting Kathleen or myself on Twitter. You can also join the conversation by including the hashtag #Fast4Justice when you post your tweets.

While we are asking that you fast on Saturday, you are free to fast as much as you feel led by God. As for myself, I will be fasting from all food from the moment this blog is posted, until the Easter meal we will be eating at The Missio Dei at the conclusion of our 11:00 Sunday service. My only exception will be Holy Communion at the Maundy Thursday service this evening at Woodlawn Presbyterian Church, where Kathleen pastors.

Please...

Fast

Pray

And listen for the Word of God.

And then, act on it.