Poor Wording

It’s surprising to hear good people make bitter complaints against the poor.

They’ll make comments about the lazy, irresponsible, drugged-out, undeserving poor.

They’ll spread messages and slogans on Internet sites like Facebook.

Some of those slogans have a touch of superficial cleverness or humor.

But when you stop to think about the message, you realize that it's flawed and mean.

Probably the work of some demagogue, playing on our worst instincts.

One relatively mild example would be a posting that’s going around now.

We keep hearing that Social Security is running out of money.

How come we never hear that Welfare is running out of money?

What’s interesting is the first group worked for its money and the second group didn’t.

There is a little cleverness there.

But very little truth.

Welfare is running out of money!

We’ve cut funds for school lunches, food stamps, housing, Medicaid and more.

But even worse than the untruth is the claim that those who need help don’t deserve it.

We’re all justifiably frustrated by the waste and inefficiency and abuse in the welfare system.

That’s probably what leads good people to send bad messages.

Without giving them closer analysis.

Our complaints and anger should be clearly directed against the poor system, not the poor people.

A very large portion of those poor people are totally innocent children.

Many others are good honest people who work hard but earn little money.

Some are frauds and cheats who are playing the system.

Jesus tells us that, of all the commandments and laws,

The second greatest commandment is that we love our neighbor as ourselves.

During Lent we’re specially called to almsgiving.

We’re called to notice our poor neighbors, and to do something to help them.

Is it enough that we pay taxes to help the government provide services?

Is it enough that we contribute to charities?

We could also get involved in some direct service to the poor.

We could also get involved in efforts to make the welfare system better.

Make it more effective, ferret out the cheats.

                                             

And what about those cheats?

They’re our neighbors too.

And, if we love them as we love ourselves, don’t they deserve some help or rehabilitation?

In our Lenten prayer and self-examination, we might each ask:

What more should I be doing?

Friday, Third Week of Lent

Mk 12:28-34           Read this Scripture @usccb.org