I suppose some might say that I am Pope bashing. I really do not intend to do that. However there was a good question asked on one of the news channels this morning and that was “why doesn’t he talk about Jesus?” I guess at the heart of my questions that is the big question . Governments, political parties, politicians who take the words of Jesus and institutionalize and politicize them do more harm than good. The visit of the Pope is trying to un – politicize mercy according to some. Still others say that his visit is a flogging of the power structures. The problem to my mind is that what passes for charity today always has strings and that many institutionalized forms of mercy are never meant to get people out of poverty, but to keep them there more comfortably. The United States has fought a war on poverty for one half of a century and there are more people in poverty in America than ever before. Does anyone ever notice that every political season is a call to spend more on the poor and between campaigns more and more organizations rise up to do what the Government is failing to do even though it supposedly spends billions doing it.
Every campaign season we are called upon to spend more on education and yet the radio waves are flooded with the call for volunteers to teach children to read.
Every campaign season we are called to spend more on Veterans and yet the TV adds call for more and more donations for the wounded warriors and if what I read is correct 31000 veterans died waiting for appointments to a Dr.
My point is that private organizations rise up to fill in the gaps of what Government is not doing even though the government takes your money to do the things that they promised to do. Governments pushed the churches out of the positions that were uniquely qualified to do and that was to take care of the local needs of the poor.
Case in point – this from Trinity Lutheran church in Drayton who has actually served at a homeless shelter and engaged in many charitable projects and just recently hosted a blood drive. Former LWML National President Kaye Kreklau has become the blood drive contact person.
Trinity Members,
Matthew 25:37-40
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and
welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and
visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to
one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Our LWML is giving all the members of Trinity an opportunity to heed the call of
Jesus to help the homeless in our area. We are collecting money and will in turn
purchase items for Northland Rescue Mission in Grand Forks. They are in need of
many things this fall including new sheets and pillows, washcloths, men’s and
women’s underwear, cold medication, etc.
If you can financially help out with this project, please contact me, no later than
this Sunday, Sept 27th.
Thanks and God Bless you,
Cheryl Gjevre
Thanks Cheryl for mentioning Jesus.
