Posted on 07/01/2016 7:52:11 AM PDT by Salvation
As we continue to read from the Book of the Prophet Amos it becomes clear that a grave sin among the people of that age was injustice to the poor. Consider an excerpt from today’s passage (Friday of the 13th Week of the Year):
Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end … [you] buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat. The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it? (Amos 8:4-8)
Elsewhere in the Book of Amos, the Lord also denounces injustice to the poor:
Yikes, that last one was insulting—and scary! Actually all of them are scary, because the Lord indicates that injustice to the poor is a big part of what is causing the coming destruction. We, too, who often live in luxurious houses and enjoy choice food and drink, should be sober and not neglect justice to the poor.
What exactly is injustice toward the poor? If we have more than we need, we owe certain things to the poor. Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And however has food should do likewise. (Luke 3:11).
In our times we often speak of our care for the poor under the themes of mercy and kindness. But the biblical truth is that we also have duties to them in justice.
Pope St. Gregory the Great puts it this way:
They [i.e., those who are stingy] should be advised to learn carefully that the earth from which they come is common to all. Therefore, it is foolish to presume themselves innocent who proclaim that the common gift of God belongs in their own private stocks …. They are daily responsible to the poor. And when we minister what is necessary to the indigent, we bestow not what is ours, but what rightly belongs to them. In fact, we pay a debt of justice, not an act of mercy (Pastoral Rule III.21).
The Catechism speaks to the theme of injustice to the poor by placing the consideration of this sin in the treatise on 7th Commandment, “Thou shall not steal.” To fail to care for the poor when one can reasonably do so amounts to a form of theft. Our excess belongs to the poor because God intends all the goods of the earth for all the people of the earth. The Catechism refers to this principle as “The Universal Destination of Goods” and says,
In the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labor, and enjoy their fruits. The goods of creation are destined for the whole human race. However, the earth is divided up among men to assure the security of their lives, endangered by poverty and threatened by violence. The appropriation of property is legitimate for guaranteeing the freedom and dignity of persons and for helping each of them to meet his basic needs and the needs of those in his charge. It should allow for a natural solidarity to develop between men …. In his use of things man should regard the external goods he legitimately owns not merely as exclusive to himself but common to others also, in the sense that they can benefit others as well as himself. The ownership of any property makes its holder a steward of Providence, with the task of making it fruitful and communicating its benefits to others, first of all his family (CCC 2402, 2404).
This does not mean that all excess should be recklessly and indiscriminately cast about. There may be value in using excess to develop businesses and other enterprises that can benefit others with employment or other resources. Further, there are legitimate concerns that the destitute not simply become dependent on welfare, something that indiscriminate giving can cause. The poor are usually best assisted by finding solutions to the causes of their destitution. The poor are to be treated justly, to be respected and assisted in a way that regards their humanity and moral agency.
Note that the Scriptures, the text from Pope Gregory, and the quote from the Catechism, all speak to us as individuals. This is a duty each of us has in justice. Too often we seek to push this obligation to the government. There may be a prudential assessment, in certain times and places, that government can play a role in rendering justice to the poor. But none of the texts above necessarily calls for big government solutions.
Whatever the prudential decisions, the point remains that individuals, communities, nations, and cultures are bound in justice to give to the poor. Amos makes it clear that the coming judgment of destruction on Israel is due in good part to its injustice to the poor. We live in times of abundance today and many live excessively. This is surely part of the judgment of God that is upon us today, along with our sexual promiscuity, abortion, easy divorce, widespread unbelief, lack of worship, narcissistic self-centeredness, etc.
What do I have that really belongs to the poor? What excesses could I end so that I would be more able to contribute to the good of the poor and others? Do I really need that latest upgrade, the addition to the house, etc.?
The Lord speaks to us through Amos in these recent daily readings. Are we listening or is greed always the other guy’s problem?
Finally, here is a quote attributed to St. Vincent De Paul that is almost shocking (and Amos-like) in its final sting:
You will find out that Charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than the kettle of soup and the full basket. But you will keep your gentleness and your smile. It is not enough to give soup and bread. This the rich can do. You are the servant of the poor, always smiling and good-humored. They are your masters, terribly sensitive and exacting masters you will see. And the uglier and the dirtier they will be, the more unjust and insulting, the more love you must give them. It is only for your love alone that the poor will forgive you the bread you give to them.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
Monsignor Pope: “This is a duty each of us has in justice. Too often we seek to push this obligation to the government. There may be a prudential assessment, in certain times and places, that government can play a role in rendering justice to the poor. But none of the texts above necessarily calls for big government solutions.”
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Given Pope Francis’ penchant for “big government” solutions, this is clearly more Biblical than Catholic! ;-)
Conservatives help the poor by tithing or making donations through the church of their choice. Liberals help the poor by voting to tax conservatives through the Big Government Church of their choice.
All the altruism in the world won’t solve the poverty problem. Survival and life proper to a rational being requires gaining and keeping values not sacrificing them. Finally non-sacrificial giving to charitable assistance is influenced by the law of diminishing marginal utility, just like any other activity. An individual stops giving when the importance that is attached to giving to the poor falls below the attachment that one gives to one’s own needs and desires.
We have the fattest “poor” people on Earth.
“Wealth” is nothing more than money that you saved or invested instead of spending it on Escalades, bling and hoes.
Some people will never have “wealth” no matter how much of other peoples’ money you steal and give to them.
It is even worse than that. The liberal/progressive agenda is to make the poor dependent on the Government and keep them poor while promoting all kinds of immoral behavior in poor communities.
Most churches have an emergency fund for such needs. Ours is called the “Caritas” Fund.
Phooey
Not at all
The Church is biblically bases. The Catechism refers to the bible like a compendium. Look at it, google it, and check it before criticizing the Church, as inconvenient as that is to your anti Catholic sentiments, nature, formation
And QUIT wasting my time
The catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the bible. Msgr. Pope certainly refers to the Catechism. He does not stray from the catechism, the Church nor the bible
The Church in no way tells its members to not be charitable, tell government to do it instead
People on this forum constantly bash what hey think is the Church and for days on end like you’re doing
It is thePope and the USCCB who stray from Church teaching when they try to interfere with government who, by the way, ignore the Church except when it’s convenient.
The question is always, would they try to interfere this way regarding abortion and its root, birth control in telling the government what and what not to do? If they would not, then it’s their own non Catholic non biblical way of behaving
Here is some Church bashing from Jesus, Himself:
Revelation 3
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea, write this:
“’The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this:
15 “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot.
16 So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
17 For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
19 Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
20 “’”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.
21 I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.
22”’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
* [3:14-22] The letter to Laodicea reprimands the community for being lukewarm (Rev 3:15-16), but no particular faults are singled out. Their material prosperity is contrasted with their spiritual poverty, the violet tunics that were the source of their wealth with the white robe of baptism, and their famous eye ointment with true spiritual perception (Rev 3:17-18). But Christ’s chastisement is inspired by love and a desire to be allowed to share the messianic banquet with his followers in the heavenly kingdom (Rev 3:19-21).
http://www.usccb.org/bible/revelation/3
Jesus founded the Catholic Church. He would never bash the Catholic Church, so that will be enough of taking His name in vain
The Church, as Jesus Himself, will always admonish sinners, especially those in the Church, who would go against Church teaching
Here’s the Pope Himself Vatican City, Oct 27, 2014 / 10:14 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his homily for Mass celebrated at the Santa Marta residence Monday Pope Francis warned against the harm of “lukewarm” Christianity, calling on faithful instead to be “children of light.”
The Lord has strong words towards Christian who avoid overstating their Christianity, the Pope told the congregation on Oct. 27. Such Christians do great harm “because their Christian witness is a witness which ultimately disseminates confusion, disseminates a negative witness....Pope Francis turned his reflection to the day’s first reading from Saint Paul, calling on Christians to be children of light, rather than children of darkness. In order to know which sort of children we are, the Pope said, we should consider whether the words we use fall into one of four categories: hypocritical, empty, frivolous, or obscene.
Such words, he said, are not used by “the children of light. They are not from the Holy Spirit. They are not from Jesus, they are not the words of the Gospel. . . this way of speaking, always speaking of filthy things, or frivolously, or empty, or speaking hypocritically.”
They have sex out of marriage, KNOWING that the government will CONTINUE to fund their husband-less baby production. They ALL know that sex out of marriage is wrong but they still do it. Satan is busy with them.
They fail to get a job, relying on welfare all their lives.
They fail to keep a job for whatever reason.
They fail to even TRY to better themselves.
The poor will ALWAYS have the right to take themselves as far down the road to ruin as Satan can get them.
Notice the emphasis on works and that Laodicea had a valid church.
Also we can teach the poor to fish, to do trade jobs — so that they can support their families.
Yes, we can go around doing good. Pray without ceasing. Do His works without ceasing.
Excellent post.
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