Lord Longford 1905 – 2001 was a controversial figure who spent much of his life visiting prisoners including Myra Hindley. Yet no one could doubt his compassion and faithfulness both to God and to those he visited. When he died former prisoners joined hundreds of mourners to say farewell to the man who had spent his life faithfully fighting for society`s outcasts. On his deathbed he asked his wife, `You know what the most important question from the Bible is?` He spoke his last words by answering his own question quoting the words of Jesus: `I was in prison and you came to visit me.` Matthew 25 v36.

Life is not a competition that you have to win. It is not supposed to be rat race. Life is a huge privilege and an opportunity. God has trusted you with gifts and abilities, which he wants you to use. Use them or lose them. He is faithful to us and he expects us to be faithful to Him.

We need to see the least and the last as Jesus in disguise. Jesus said ,`Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me.` He tells us that faithfulness to him is shown in what we do for the most vulnerable and most needy in the world.`

The hungry: Millions of people are dying oof starvation. Every time you feed the hungry you encounter Jesus. Mother Teresa said, `The dying, the unwanted, the unloved – they are Jesus in disguise.`

The stranger: To be homeless, a refugee or an asylum seeker must be one of the most painful experiences of life. When you encounter people who are `strangers` and when you look after the homeless, provide them with shelter and invite them into the heart of your community, you encounter Jesus.

The sick: Another way in which you can meet Jesus is through ministering to those who are sick, whether they are in hospital, at home or at church. Every time you pray for the sick you have the opportunity to encounter Jesus.

The prisoners: Those in prison often come from the category the least and the last of our society. Jesus challenges us to imitate his grace and acceptance of sinners. We too need to remember we too are forgiven sinners. It is a huge privilege to go into prisons or to care for and mentor ex-offenders. The Chaplain General to the prison service said when he first went into prisons he thought he would take Jesus in with him. He soon realised that Jesus was already there. He said that from then on he went into prisons in order to encounter Jesus.

In all these areas Jesus say, `Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me`.

`The Rev` Richard Allen of Trelawny