Category: justice

A True Fast

The bread that you store up belongs to the hungry, the coat that lies in your chest belongs to the naked; the gold that you have hidden in the ground belongs to the poor.  -Saint Basil (329-379)  

 

Is this not the fast that I choose to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide your face from your own kin?  Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  -Isaiah 58:3

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Advent-Preparing Our Hearts For Christ’s Return By Serving The Poor

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In view of Christ’s coming in Bethlehem and his coming at the end of history, we should prepare our hearts and commit ourselves to help the poor. 

Those who, in the Biblical phrase, would save their lives – that is, those who want to get along, who don’t want commitments, who don’t want to get into problems, who want to stay outside of a situation that demands the involvement of all of us – they will lose their lives.   What a terrible thing, to have lived quite comfortably, with no suffering, not getting involved in problems, quite tranquil, quite settled, with good connections politically, economically, socially, lacking nothing, having everything.  To what good?  They will lose their lives.  “But those, who for love of me, uproot themselves and accompany the people and go with the poor in their suffering and become incarnated and feel as their own the pain, the abuse – they will secure their lives, because my Father will reward them.”—Oscar Romero  

Lord guide me in the path of righteousness.  Teach me justice,give me a heart for the poor, save the children of the needy,and break the back of the oppressor.  –adapted from Psalm 72:1-4

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