Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 13:1-8; Mark 6:14-29)
Charlie and Pauline Sullivan have been working for reform in prisons for over thirty years. They have founded an organization with the acronym CURE to unite people -- mostly loved ones of the imprisoned -- with the same concern. The involvement of many hands and the tireless work of Pauline and Charlie along with their generous spirit have moved legislators to implement some of their ideas. Charlie and Pauline exemplify what the Letter to the Hebrews today exhorts: “Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment…”
As in other New Testament epistles, the Letter to the Hebrews ends with a paraclesis or exhortation that the readers act in consonance with the faith that has been proclaimed. As Jesus entertained guests in his home, so too must Christians welcome strangers. As he relieved the burden of the oppressed, so too much Christians share their load. As he was faithful and free, so too must Christians uphold the sanctity of marriage and not get obsessed with making money.
As we look forward to Lent, we might think of this holy time as an opportunity to deepen our efforts in the ways suggested by the Letter to the Hebrews. Jesus has won for us the grace to act like him. Now we have to avail ourselves of occasions to do so.
Showing posts with label Charlie and Pauline Sullivan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlie and Pauline Sullivan. Show all posts
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs
(II Timothy 2:8-15; Mark 2:28-34)
The night before he was assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.” Dr. King knew that his cause was in line with the gospel. He could rest assured, like St. Paul in the reading today, that even if his persecutors silenced him, they were not going to stop the movement for human dignity and racial equality.
Nobody wants to die a useless death. Because we believe our lives are valuable, we hope our deaths may magnify the purpose for which we live. Of course, we who believe in God especially want our lives to reflect God’s will as King proclaimed. A chosen few of us, however, feel the urgency to have our lives reflect a particular aspect of that all-encompassing good. We readily think of social reformers like Charlie and Pauline Sullivan who have given their lives to assisting some of “the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters.” Since 1972 the couple has campaigned for better treatment of prisoners in the criminal justice system. They inform right-minded people of the systematic mistreatment of the incarcerated often for venal reasons. They also urge everyone to recognize that a society can by correctly judged by how it treats its imprisoned offenders.
(II Timothy 2:8-15; Mark 2:28-34)
The night before he was assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.” Dr. King knew that his cause was in line with the gospel. He could rest assured, like St. Paul in the reading today, that even if his persecutors silenced him, they were not going to stop the movement for human dignity and racial equality.
Nobody wants to die a useless death. Because we believe our lives are valuable, we hope our deaths may magnify the purpose for which we live. Of course, we who believe in God especially want our lives to reflect God’s will as King proclaimed. A chosen few of us, however, feel the urgency to have our lives reflect a particular aspect of that all-encompassing good. We readily think of social reformers like Charlie and Pauline Sullivan who have given their lives to assisting some of “the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters.” Since 1972 the couple has campaigned for better treatment of prisoners in the criminal justice system. They inform right-minded people of the systematic mistreatment of the incarcerated often for venal reasons. They also urge everyone to recognize that a society can by correctly judged by how it treats its imprisoned offenders.
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