Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]

Readings
Exodus 22:20-26
1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10
Matthew 22:34-40

Calendar
October 23: World Mission Sunday
October 24: United Nations Day (60th anniversary of the United Nations)
October 24th-30th: Disarmament Week (see below.)

Quotes
Love for others, and in the first place love for the poor, in whom the Church sees Christ himself, is made concrete in the promotion of justice.
John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 1991

Love of neighbor is an absolute demand for justice, because charity must manifest itself in actions and structures which respect human dignity, protect human rights, and facilitate human development. To promote justice is to transform structures which block love.
1971 Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World

In teaching us charity, the Gospel instructs us in the preferential respect due to the poor and the special situation they have in society: the more fortunate should renounce some of their rights so as to place their goods more generously at the service of others.
Pope Paul VI, Call to Action, 23

Distributive justice requires that the allocation of income, wealth, and power in society be evaluated in light of its effects on persons whose basic material needs are unmet.
U.S. Bishops, Economic Justice for All

Individual initiative alone and the mere free play of competition could never assure successful development. One must avoid the risk of increasing still more the wealth of the rich and the dominion of the strong, whilst leaving the poor in their misery and adding to the servitude of the oppressed."
Pope Paul IV, 1967, On the Development of Peoples, #33

Thoughts for Your Consideration
In the gospel today, Jesus affirms the centrality in our life and actions of both love of God and love of neighbor.

The first reading presents challenging examples which make this love very concrete. Exodus gives very clear instructions.

- Aliens, widows and orphans are not to be oppressed.
- Interest is not to be demanded from the poor, to whom money is lent.

Love is not just an emotion. It moves us to care for those who most in need. It calls us to place the needs of people before our own economic security. It calls us into action.

Perhaps we are reminded of Catholic Social Teaching's demand for a preferential love for the poor.

In any case, we must ask ourselves: who are the aliens, widows and orphans today?

Are they being oppressed in any way?

How can we as individuals and as a society show them a love that is made concrete?

What are the structures in our society and our government that will promote such justice?

Questions for Reflection in your Faith Sharing Group
What examples come to mind when you think of that love of neighbor that moves beyond charity to the promotion of justice?

Actions í¢â‚¬" Links
1) Oct. 24 is the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations. In 1948, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which can be read at: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html .

The Declaration declares: ". . . the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world . . ."

Pope John Paul II affirmed: "In this climate of international cooperation, your contribution as staff members of the United Nations organization is indispensable . . . I would assure you that in the work of promoting justice, building peace and ensuring that human dignity and human rights are respected throughout the world you have the full and complete support of the Catholic church."
Pope John Paul II's address to the 50th session of the United Nations General Assembly, October 5, 1995.

2) October 24th-30th is Disarmament Week, which has been observed by the United Nations since 1978 when Member States were invited to highlight the dangers of the arms race, promote recognition of the need to stop the arms race, and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament. For more information on this topic, visit the United Nations Web Site for Disarmament at http://disarmament2.un.org/.

Catholic Social Teaching calls us to a special concern for the poor. Bill Quigley, a member of the Faculty of Loyola University Law School in New Orleans recently published a piece on New Orleans and the poor. You can find "New Orleans: Leaving the Poor Behind Again!" at http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1011-20.htm

Prayer í¢â‚¬" Meditation
The following prayer is one of many that can be found at the site of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development at: http://www.cafod.org.uk/resources/worship/prayers/prayers_about_trade

A Feast for All

Loving God,

We gaze in wonder
At the splendor of your creation
We see a banquet spread before us
Rich carpeted fields of yellowing grain
And overflowing baskets of ripe fruit
We see a banquet prepared for all peoples
Of fine wines and rich food
A generous feast for all to share
Help us to learn from your generosity
How to share our bread with the hungry
And open our hearts to the poor
To commit ourselves to preparing
A banquet for all peoples
A generous feast for all to share.

* * *

Prayer for Charity and a Preferential Option for the Poor
by Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB

Poor ones, please take the bread. It is yours.
The house with running water belongs to you.
A plot of land, a dignified job í¢â‚¬" all yours.
Forgive me for offering it.
Charity is not substitute for justice but your children are hungry now.

Spirit of Justice, break open our hearts.
Break them wide open
Let anger pour through
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ like strong winds
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ cleaning us of complacency,
Let courage pour through
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ like spring storms
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ flooding out fear.
Let zeal pour through
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ like blazing summer sun,
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ filling us with passion.

Force of Justice, grant me
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ anger at what is,
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ courage to do what must be done,
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ passion to break down the walls of injustice
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ and build a land flowing with milk and honey
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ for God's beloved,
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ God's special love,
í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ í‚ God's Poor Ones.

Spirit of Justice
break open our hearts.