As I was reading today's Gospel I thought how lovely it would be if we could invite Jesus to be with us. Oh, I know you will say that He is, as stated by when two or more are gathered in my name I will be in your midst. Or you might ask how can you do this,
We are given the answer through St. Luke (14:12-14)
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
St. Vincent de Paul tells us that,
"It is honoring our Lord when we enter into his sentiments, holding them in esteem, doing what he did and carrying out what he commanded."
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. ~JFK
As you make out your list, remember that poverty has many faces as Mother Teresa points out;
Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty
While helping out at St. Francis House in Boston, a facility that provides food and shelter and other services for the poor, I heard from one of the regular cooks there speak about how some dignitaries, followed by news people and camera personnel, come once a year, either . at Christmas or Thanksgiving and help to serve a meal strictly as a photo opportunity; to be seen on the nightly news
Jesus is saying something here about not expecting thanks. He is hinting that we do what we do out love and not show - out of care, because we follow Him. We are not to profit from other's misfortunes.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. ~JFK
As you make out your list, remember that poverty has many faces as Mother Teresa points out;
Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty
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