Deacon Tom Writes,
“Stealing from the Poor”
Pope Francis made the statement recently that “…wasting food is like stealing from the poor.” In addressing the plight of the poor in
this way, the pope follows in the footsteps of the Prophets and Jesus who had
great compassion and affection for the poor. The Prophet Amos cries out about
the unjust ways that the merchants were cheating the poor by fixing the scales
to overcharge them for their daily portions of wheat and grain. But no one
listened!
Jesus has a soft spot for the poor. He’s just like his
Father in this regard! When he tells the story of the dishonest servant in the
gospel, he recognizes how cleaver that servant was in providing for his needs
after his master discharges him. Jesus laments the fact that the worldly are
more prudent in providing for their physical needs than the “Children of the
Light” are in satisfying their spiritual needs.
The lesson Jesus teaches us today and Pope Francis
reaffirms is that we must be trustworthy with what we have been given, whether
it is with our time, talent, treasures or our daily bread. As Disciples of
Christ, we are not to squander or waste any of the gifts that God has given us.
We are to use what we have wisely and prudently share with those in need. We
need to make an honest effort to be faithful servants and always be mindful
that we can trust God to take care of us and provide for our needs.
God’s love for the poor is reflected throughout the
Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus came to serve the lowly and bring the Good News to the
poor, the“anawim” whose only
possession was their hope in Yahweh. Our Lord calls us to follow his lead and
do the same. One way we can be better servants is to appreciate all the food we
have each day and to manage it so that little or none goes to waste. Then, too,
we might send a couple of dollars to Catholic Relief Service as they try to
keep up with the desperate needs of the refugees in Syria, the Middle East, and
around the world as a sign of our gratitude for our daily bread.
These readings today call us to reflect on how much
imagination we put into bringing about the God’s Kingdom. Do we see the poor
being abused and cheated in any way today and point it out, refuse to
participate in evil, seek to put an end to unfair and unjust practices?
You see, the words of the Prophet Amos apply to
those who seek to do justice too:
the Lord, “will never forget a
thing they have done.”
On this Catechetical Sunday, a special “Thank You”
to all the teachers in our Religious Education Program for all that you do to
teach God’s Word to our children. May God shower you with his grace and peace.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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