Monday, July 2, 2018

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 2:6-10.13-16; Matthew 8:18-22)

Economic equality has never been the goal of Christian social thought.  Rather from Scripture to modern papal thinking, Christians have opted for justice.  This means that a society looks out for all its members so that everyone’s basic needs are met.  In contemporary times this vision is being ignored.  The wealthy are separating themselves from the poor.  They are more likely to live in gated communities and to send their children to private schools.  They also are more often found in church than the poor.  One wonders, however, if they hear the message from Scripture read there.

In today’s first reading the prophet Amos expresses outrage at the rich person’s disregard for human dignity.   He says that the rich would sell a slave for a trifling.  He adds that they take the poor person’s few garments as collateral for loans.  Then they have the nerve to lie on those garments in the Temple.  In the gospel Jesus identifies himself with poor people when he says that the Son of Man has nowhere to sleep.

In an age of globalization, creating a just society becomes increasingly complicated.  But this fact does not excuse us from the responsibility.  With so much technology available, there is no shortage of resources to supply everyone’s needs.  We need to rethink priorities.  Instead of always strategizing to become wealthier, we should make sufficiency for the poor a goal.  Action steps will include greater social correspondence among all social sectors.