Bethlen Évkönyv, 1993-1996 (Ligonier)
Dr. Laslo M. Medyesy: Diakonia for the 90's, Revisited
cepted long term responsibility too: “next day he took two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying: take care of him and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back. ” This was a rare, open ended commitment. He, in fact, gave the innkeeper a carte-blanc, a pledge with a limitation which was set only by the victim’s condition. The command of Christ, at the end of the event, to go and do likewise, is as valid today as it was when the narrative was first told. This parable clearly sets the perimeters of contemporary Christian diakonia. As we approach the conclusion of our century, indeed a millennium, living in the post-Marxist rapidly changing world of the 90’s, we American Hungarian Reformed Christians also need to revisit the theological foundations of diakonia for our time. With few exceptions American Hungarian Reformed communities and churches are rapidly aging. Due to improved international conditions, in the predictable future a new influx of immigration will not enlarge our membership. Our ability to draw from the American environment is often limited by our inner city location, diminishing resources, and still prevailing ethnic closedness of our congregations. What is the appropriate form of diakonia in such a setting? What can be done to show the fruits of our faith, to display meaningful acts of love? It seems that the imitation of the basic message of the good Samaritan story is a challenge appropriate to the need of most of our people. We live in a spiritually and physically broken world. We are the product of such a time. We are spiritually, emotionally separated from God and from each other and our bodies carry the signs of mortality and decay. It seems that both the individual Christian and congregations are called to participate in the healing process of this world which was started by Christ when he restored the first broken person. We cannot limit our involvement only to the spiritual part of man but we need to be aware of the totality of human needs. In searching for a relevant definition of our diakonia let us quote a recent UCC publication on Biblical and Theological Rationale for Health Care: „Just as Jesus commissioned the original disciples to go to every town and heal the sick, creating a caring 69
