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COMMENTARY
A Resurrected Vision for our Suffering Sick World
May 9 , 2017 | The Valley Catholic
By Tony Magliano
Internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist
Although it is Easter season , for much of the world it still feels like Good Friday .
Countless people throughout the world continue to carry painfully heavy crosses – crosses overwhelming due to man ’ s inhumanity to man .
Sin , which starts in each individual human heart , if not repented of , joins with the sins of many , forming a collective critical mass of sin which leads to the building of what Saint Pope John Paul called the “ structures of sin .”
And it is these structures of sin – like unjust government public policies and laws , corporate greed , economic disparity , militarism , the abortion industry and secular cultures devoid of God – with their selfish raw power that condemn billions of human beings to lives of misery and death .
Countless human lives – from the first moment of conception to old age – are of little value not only to the majority of those who control power and wealth , but also to millions of average people . Even many Christians give only token attention to our hurting world . It is what Pope Francis calls a “ culture of indifference .”
Challenging this indifference the pope declared , “ It is important for the whole church that welcoming the poor and promoting justice not be entrusted solely to ‘ experts ’ but be a focus of all pastoral care , of the formation of future priests and religious , and of the ordinary work of all parishes .”
“ Poverty is the flesh of the poor Jesus , in that child who is hungry , in the one who is sick , in those unjust social structures .”
- Pope Francis
In a world where over 1 billion children live in poverty , and 300 million children go to bed hungry every night ( see : htt p :// un i . cf / 2pL2UKf ), Pope Francis says , “ Poverty is the flesh of the poor Jesus , in that child who is hungry , in the one who is sick , in those unjust social structures .”
One of the most dangerous and harmful unjust social structures is the arms race . Warning us about this , the world ’ s Catholic bishops at the Second Vatican Council declared , “ While extravagant sums are being spent for the furnishing of ever new weapons , an adequate remedy cannot be provided for the multiple miseries afflicting the whole modern world .
“ Therefore , we say it again : the arms race is an utterly treacherous trap for humanity , and one which ensnares the poor to an intolerable degree .”
“ It is much to be feared that if this race persists , it will eventually spawn all the lethal ruin whose path it is now making ready .”
With hundreds of Russian and U . S . nuclear weapons aimed at each other on hair-trigger alert , recent American airstrikes in Syria , the dropping of the largest U . S . non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan and a U . S . aircraft carrier battle group steaming towards the Korean Peninsula , the world is on edge ( see : http :// bit . ly / 2oivpig ).
To all the indifference to the poor , war-making and saber-rattling , the resurrected Jesus offers to the whole world his gift of peace , his “ Shalom ” – serenity and harmony with God , with ourselves , with each other and with all creation .
And to his disciples , those of us who gladly accept his “ Shalom ,” the risen Lord entrusts the sacred task of urgently advancing his kingdom of universal love – where no one is poor and hungry , where war and war preparation yield to dialogue , where astronomical military spending gives way to full funding for comprehensive health care , quality education , decent jobs and housing , clean water and sanitation for everyone . And where all of God ’ s creation – especially human life from conception to natural death – is protected and cherished !
Tony can be reached at tmag @ zoominternet . net .
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By Gregory Kepferle
CEO , Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County and President , Charities Housing Development Corporation
The recent flooding of Coyote Creek caused devastating ripples of destruction downstream from Anderson Dam . Even today many families still live in temporary housing until their flooded units are restored . But this disaster created other ripples – ripples of help and ripples of hope . Volunteers , donors , government agencies , community groups and nonprofits stepped up immediately to help the families , especially those most vulnerable before the flood – seniors , people with disabilities , Vietnamese and Latino immigrants and former refugees , two and sometimes three families sharing small apartments . Donors , large and small , and from near and far chipped in to meet immediate needs of food , shelter and transportation . Catholic Charities continues to help house flood survivors , organize car donations , and help families rebuild their lives for long-term recovery . Every day our staff hear survivors say , “ Thank you , Catholic Charities ” whether for finding an apartment , for a car to get back to work , for connecting to other community resources , or for simply listening with compassion .
Every day we see ripples of generosity , from donors who contribute cars or cash , to apartment owners who are offering units free of charge , to furniture companies offering free household furniture .
We see these same ripples of generosity spread through our community as caring donors assist Catholic Charities in providing help and creating hope for seniors seeking their one hot meal of the day , for children wanting to learn and stay safe from gangs in our after school programs , for immigrants and refugees to find a welcoming community , for people living with mental illness to find healing , and for struggling families to find a path out of poverty .
With so many people coming to Catholic Charities , we need your help more than ever . I invite you to invest a little extra this year during Catholic Charities May Appeal . Each new and increased gift will be matched two to one by the Sobrato Family Foundation . Help us create ripples of hope right here in Santa Clara County .
To find out how you can help , visit www . catholiccharitesscc . org / donate .