RBWords

[Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13 and Luke 8:19-21]

     To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.  [Proverbs]

     If the quote above seems familiar, it may be because Jesus used it to reply to scribes and Pharisees who criticized him for eating with sinners and tax collectors.  Both Proverbs and Jesus may have been quoting the prophet Hosea (6:6) but the idea runs through the prophetic literature of the Old Testament and, of course, is reflected in Jesus' teaching.  (cf. Matt. 25:31-45).  A concentration on worship without a corresponding care for our neighbor, especially the poor, hungry, oppressed and vulnerable members of society is radically incomplete.

     Throughout history, the Catholic church has been often accused of amassing wealth without caring for the poor.  This may have been true in certain circumstances because of  huge and ornate church buildings and ostentatious ceremonies with jeweled vestments.  But there have always been those who dedicated themselves to direct care.  In our own day in the USA, Catholic Relief Services as well as religious orders and dedicated laity do give themselves to care, but the dimensions of the problem are overwhelming.  On a local level, groups like the St. Vincent de Paul Society do wonderful work.  

     The challenge for each of us is to ask about the relationship between our devotion (sacraments, prayers, rituals) and our care for our neighbor.  Do we "put skin on" both?  [cf. James 2]  It's something to think about!  AMEN