Peace and Everything Good to you and your loved ones!
I am working on my homily for this coming Sunday - October 26. I will be preaching at the Motherhouse of the Franciscans Sisters in Wheaton IL. The first of the three Scripture passages that the Sisters will hear is the same that all Catholics throughout the world will hear - from the Book of Exodus Chapter 22: 20-26. This is one of the major laws, rules, commands of the Lord God to care for the alien, the widow, the orphan, and poor neighbors ("lend money to the poor without demanding interest" and return a poor neighbor's cloak before sunset).
How does this direct, practical, concrete Word of God effect our dealings with immigrants and the poor? God's protection of the poor is the frequent testimony of the psalms. In this Exodus Reading, we read that the administration of God's protection of Israel's resident aliens, widows, orphans, and poor has been entrusted to the people itself. The people - that is us today, of course - must vigilantly protect them and punish whoever harms them. If it would remain faithful to God, Israel cannot tolerate the oppression of its most vulnerable. And the same goes for us - we cannot tolerate the oppression of immigrants and of the poor.
St John Chrysostom writes: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." There's a challenge! There's the rub! There's the invitation to conversion and freedom.
We Franciscans of the Sacred Heart Province sponsor and founded the Franciscan Outreach with its two locations: Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph - a shelter with 250 beds, and Marquard Center - a food kitchen that serves 250 meals each day and offers laundry service and showers to the homeless. Check out this one way to care for the alien and poor: www.franoutreach.org.
What can we do to make God's Word real and visible in our world today?
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In endorsing Barack Obama's candidacy for President, Colin Powell referred to him as "a transformational figure." I believe that Obama's presidential campaign has been a milestone in the effort of increasing numbers of American citizens to reduce racism and to end 400 years of white privilege in the United States. I see his candidacy as a challenge to America, an opportunity for national reconcilitation, if people vote their conscience rather than their color or culture. I believe also that President Obama will use his grassroots' experience as a community organizer in Chicago to raise the standard of living for immigrants and the poor throughout our nation.
Marjorie Carey
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