The Sunday before Ash Wednesday my parish gave each family The Little Black Book--which for those of you who don't know is a book that many Catholics like to use for meditations during Lent. The way the book is formatted is it usually gives a little fact, story, historical event that happened on that day and then it's followed by a Scripture and a short meditation. I had time in the morning so I thought I would go ahead a read today's meditation and story and the first thing I read was the following quote:
'God destined the earth and all it contains for all people and nations so that all created things would be shared fairly by all humankind under the guidance of justice tempered by charity.'
-Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. #69
I read that quote and I thought BOOM!! It doesn't say for all of you that are rich and educated...it doesn't say for all of you who live in the USA....nope it says ALL people and ALL nations!! So yes I hate to burst some of your bubbles but God destined this world for the poor and needy as well as those who are rich!!
My second BOOM moment from this quote is the word fairly!! In case you missed it it says 'all created things would be shared fairly' So for all of you who walk pass the hungry or just don't want to think about them--how fair is that?!! For the lawmakers who have abandoned those who are less fortunate how fair is that?!!
Third BOOM moment this is all to be taken place under the guidance of justice tempered by charity!! WOW...am I right?!! We as Christians are called to charity...and that doesn't mean that we just give to charity so we can get money back on taxes-in fact charity is so much more than that. Charity is showing those around you that you care for them in the simplest ways sometimes. It's writing a letter of recommendation....it's opening the door for people.....it's listening to them.... ultimately it's showing God's love!
So after reading that kick butt statement the story went on to talk about Operation Rice Bowl. Operation Rice Bowl began as an idea of a group of Pennsylvania churchmen in 1975. It was the idea of Msgr Robert Coll, a Jewish rabbi, and Presbyterian,Episcopal, and Lutheran minsters. They developed this program due to a severe drought in the African Sahel. The program's success encouraged them to be part of the 1976 Eucharistic Congress that was planned for Philly. Later Cardinal Krol enlisted the help of Catholic Relief Services to sponsor Operation Rice Bowl. Since this time Operation Rice Bowl has become an annual Lenten Practice in many dioceses.
So what is this practice that I am talking about?!! During Lent people place a cardboard container (many parishes hand these out) in their homes, and the money saved because of their fasting and the things they give up for Lent is put into the rice bowl. At the end of Lent, the bowl filled with the family's offerings is brought to Mass, and the money is used for development projects in poor nations and hunger relief in the local diocese. How awesome is that?!! I read that and I thought what an awesome idea that not only helps out locally but helps out nationally as well! I am constantly amazed how God takes this little idea from Pennsylvania and now look at hoe much it has grown!! Learn more about Operation Rice Bowl (wow, I sounded like a spokesperson for a minute there).
Until next time....Peace be with you!!
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