Just Thoughts
Poverty Awareness Month
January 2016
The United States Catholic Bishops
have again designated the month of January as
Poverty Awareness Month. An initiative of the Catholic Campaign for
Human Development, Poverty Awareness Month calls attention to the many problems
associated with poverty in the United States. In the richest country on our
earth, 1 in 7 American households were food insecure in 2015, 47 million people
live in poverty.
What can we do to help eradicate
poverty? "Two Feet of Love in
Action" based on two of Pope Benedict's reflections (USCCB.org/Two Feet of Love in Action), is a tool to remind us
that there are two different but complementary ways to put faith into
action. First, in Christian charity we
must respond to the immediate needs of people. These are the Corporal Works of
Mercy that Fr. Steve wrote about last week in his Pastor column. In our parish we have several programs that
target the problem of hunger and food insecurity and other ministries that help
people in need. These programs are
generously supported by our parishioners.
The second of the "Two Feet of
Love" is to do what we can to address the root causes of poverty. To travel on a path toward social
justice. It involves taking action to
change the social institutions that perpetuate those circumstances which
prevent people from lifting themselves out of poverty. Such things as working to improve the
educational system, advocating for a living wage, or supporting environmental
protection laws would all help those struggling to break the grip of poverty on
their lives. We are called to plant both
feet firmly as we walk together, putting faith and love in action, as we focus
on our destination, the Kingdom of God.
"We are pilgrims on a
journey, we are brothers on the road; we are here to help each other, walk the
mile and bear the load." (Excerpt from The Servant Song, Richard
Gillard, 1977)
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