In the nine years that I have been producing my pastor's column, I believe I have only gone back a few times to previous columns to see if I had already done a column on a particular subject at an earlier time. I was tempted to do that this time before I composed this column on "Operation Rice Bowl" a Lenten program by Catholic Relief Services, CRS, that gives Catholics an opportunity to practice almsgiving in the area of helping to combat poverty, disease, hunger and injustice around the world.
I didn't go back to previous columns because I believe this Lenten (and year-round) effort of Catholic Relief Services is worth writing about every year. From its earlier years in which people were given an opportunity to take a rice bowl home and put money into it throughout the Lenten Season, including money that was saved by fasting from food and cutting back or eliminating eating out for Lent, the program now includes a calendar which gives the participants something to think about and do each day of Lent AND a link: CRSRICEBOWL.ORG which among other things shows how families around the world live, work and play as well as recipes for simple dishes that people in various regions make and eat so that we can connect with some of the people who will benefit from the money we save and give through our rice bowls (which will be collected starting on Holy Thursday).
PLEASE take the time to do more than just put money in the box and return it when indicated, and really see what Catholic Relief Services is doing year round to respond to natural disasters and ongoing needs of people who need a leg up and/or training to have a brighter future than they otherwise would have. Also, note that the second collection the weekend of March 21/22 benefits Catholic Relief Services. It's also good to know that 93% of every dollar given to CRS goes directly to help people in need. What a blessing to be able to help the needy not only in this area (as I know our parishioners and parish organizations do) but around the world where hunger and poverty is much more severe than here!
I didn't go back to previous columns because I believe this Lenten (and year-round) effort of Catholic Relief Services is worth writing about every year. From its earlier years in which people were given an opportunity to take a rice bowl home and put money into it throughout the Lenten Season, including money that was saved by fasting from food and cutting back or eliminating eating out for Lent, the program now includes a calendar which gives the participants something to think about and do each day of Lent AND a link: CRSRICEBOWL.ORG which among other things shows how families around the world live, work and play as well as recipes for simple dishes that people in various regions make and eat so that we can connect with some of the people who will benefit from the money we save and give through our rice bowls (which will be collected starting on Holy Thursday).
PLEASE take the time to do more than just put money in the box and return it when indicated, and really see what Catholic Relief Services is doing year round to respond to natural disasters and ongoing needs of people who need a leg up and/or training to have a brighter future than they otherwise would have. Also, note that the second collection the weekend of March 21/22 benefits Catholic Relief Services. It's also good to know that 93% of every dollar given to CRS goes directly to help people in need. What a blessing to be able to help the needy not only in this area (as I know our parishioners and parish organizations do) but around the world where hunger and poverty is much more severe than here!
When I first read the Gospel for this weekend (Matthew 5:38-48), I immediately thought of Arthur Brooks. He is a conservative author who was the main speaker at the recently held National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. which was attended by more than a few of our nationally elected officials. In it he spoke of what he believes is "the biggest crises facing our nation and many other nations today: It's the crises of contempt and polarization that is tearing our societies apart." He then quotes Matthew 5:43-44 where Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." He goes on to say that there are some people who advocate breaking the habit of contempt with more civility and tolerance. He argues that that is a low standard and that Jesus taught that people should not 'tolerate your enemies' but 'love your enemies.' Answer hatred with love. His "homework" for those who were there was, among other things to "ask God to give you the strength to do this hard thing......to follow Jesus' teaching and ask God to take political contempt from your heart."
Not surprisingly, there were some there who are sadly not ready to follow Brooks' advice and the country will continue to hurt for that. I can only pray that all of us who hear the challenging call of Jesus will ask for the grace that is needed to strive to "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect," (Matthew 5:48) in treating people with Christian love, both those we agree with and those we don't agree with. We can be the light of Christ's love in the midst of the darkness of contempt and polarization AND encourage others to do so. The blessings that come to individuals and to our country will certainly be many if we take the teaching of Christ in this and all other areas seriously! I hope you join me in applause of Mr. Brooks sobering but needed presentation at the National Prayer Breakfast!
Not surprisingly, there were some there who are sadly not ready to follow Brooks' advice and the country will continue to hurt for that. I can only pray that all of us who hear the challenging call of Jesus will ask for the grace that is needed to strive to "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect," (Matthew 5:48) in treating people with Christian love, both those we agree with and those we don't agree with. We can be the light of Christ's love in the midst of the darkness of contempt and polarization AND encourage others to do so. The blessings that come to individuals and to our country will certainly be many if we take the teaching of Christ in this and all other areas seriously! I hope you join me in applause of Mr. Brooks sobering but needed presentation at the National Prayer Breakfast!
We are in a sad state in our country when elected officials and others are considered according to some of their constituents to always be "right" in whatever they say or do. Those of us who are Christian believe (I hope) that the only person who was ALWAYS right was Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. One of the sad realities of that first situation is that one side will seemingly never admit that those on the other side can do anything that is worthy of recognition or praise.
Our American bishops, in their teaching in the document, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" make it clear that they and other Church clergy do not and should not endorse any one candidate, but instead present the issues and where the Catholic Church stands on these issues and so help "to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching." I hope to make written and spoken versions of this teaching available for us to use for study and prayer before we go to the polls. By first making it clear that the Catholic Church's leaders are not, in their capacity as preachers and teachers to endorse candidates for public office, there are more than a few instances in which our Church leaders applaud or at time criticize particular efforts of our elected officials to make or enforce laws.
One instance of applause came out from our American Bishops recently on January 24, 2020 after the Trump Administration announced that it is taking steps to enforce the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that prohibits discrimination by states against health insurance plans that do not cover abortion. After stating the fact that for nearly 6 years employers in the state of California (including churches) have been forced to fund and facilitate abortions in their health insurance plans, Bishop Naumann, from the bishop's committee on pro-life activities said "We strongly commend the Trump Administration for taking this critical action to enforce federal law," (in this case the Weldon Amendment).
One of our Sacred Heart parishioners let me know of the reality of our bishops commending the current administration for this and other efforts to protect the rights of conscience of those in religious institutions against the government (state and federal) telling them what they must do when it clearly violates their conscience and beliefs. I hope more of our parishioners will take time to pull up the USCCB website regularly and stay up with what our bishops are saying and teaching from the Catholic Tradition that will help us develop and have a "Catholic conscience" on many issues that affect us and others (including the voiceless child in a mother's womb).
Our American bishops, in their teaching in the document, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" make it clear that they and other Church clergy do not and should not endorse any one candidate, but instead present the issues and where the Catholic Church stands on these issues and so help "to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching." I hope to make written and spoken versions of this teaching available for us to use for study and prayer before we go to the polls. By first making it clear that the Catholic Church's leaders are not, in their capacity as preachers and teachers to endorse candidates for public office, there are more than a few instances in which our Church leaders applaud or at time criticize particular efforts of our elected officials to make or enforce laws.
One instance of applause came out from our American Bishops recently on January 24, 2020 after the Trump Administration announced that it is taking steps to enforce the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that prohibits discrimination by states against health insurance plans that do not cover abortion. After stating the fact that for nearly 6 years employers in the state of California (including churches) have been forced to fund and facilitate abortions in their health insurance plans, Bishop Naumann, from the bishop's committee on pro-life activities said "We strongly commend the Trump Administration for taking this critical action to enforce federal law," (in this case the Weldon Amendment).
One of our Sacred Heart parishioners let me know of the reality of our bishops commending the current administration for this and other efforts to protect the rights of conscience of those in religious institutions against the government (state and federal) telling them what they must do when it clearly violates their conscience and beliefs. I hope more of our parishioners will take time to pull up the USCCB website regularly and stay up with what our bishops are saying and teaching from the Catholic Tradition that will help us develop and have a "Catholic conscience" on many issues that affect us and others (including the voiceless child in a mother's womb).