How Would You Respond To This ?

[Guest]

Seen this on Facebook tonight. How would you respond? It's our fault right? Because God gave us enough for everyone yet we're selfish.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Guest

[Guest]

34 â€œThen the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 â€œThen the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 â€œThe King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 â€œThen he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 â€œThey also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 â€œHe will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 â€œThen they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

[Guest]

I like what Pope Francis said about God not being a magician with a magic wand. If he was He could just make food magically appear in front of these starving people. But from what Jesus tells us HE IS those starving people and when we feed them we feed God himself.

[An Historian]

I would say to those children that God is good all the time. I would also say to them that yes, He could make food appear in front of them at that very moment if He so willed. But most importantly, what He denied them, He denied Himself. He isn't sitting up in an ivory tower, completely unattached to our suffering. No, He went so far as to take on our suffering Himself. God became Man through the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I would tell them that He suffered too. That He knew hunger. That He witnessed His Mother's tearful agomy and fright as they fled into Egypt, that He saw His foster-father beg on the streets of Egypt just to feed his family. I would tell them about the Cross. I would also tell them that because God is infitine, all of his actions have an inifinite quality. So not only did He suffer, he suffered to an infinite degree. I would tell them that even His own Mother, who He loves more than anyone but Himself, was not spared suffering. I would tell them that suffering is not bad, but rather it has been made holy by God. I would tell them that they are suffering now because God wants them to be the image of His Son. I would tell them, whilst lookimg at their emaciated faces, with dirt crusting their skin and their bellys swolen with hunger, that I see the face of Jesus, which means I see the face of God in them.

But above all I would tell them about the Resurrection, and our destiny to enjoy eternal happiness in heaven. I would tell them that we do not live for this world. I would tell them that our calling is to be with Him in the next life.

And them, since I'm there, I'd give them a sandwich.

[Guest]

Give them the sandwich first. That's long.

[An Historian]

Give them the sandwich first. That's long.

The two go hand in hand, I left the sandwich to the end for dramatic effect.

The thing is, children are capable of the virtues. They can have faith, they can have hope, and they can burn with charity. I think then that it is always best to teach them the fundamentals of religion. I think some people project their own difficulties with God's will and the theological virtues on to children. Just because youor I may not understand how Godnis good all the time when we see these children, the children themselves may have a fantastic rrelationship with Him. Remember, we are called to be as little ones.

Plus, I'd bet 7 of my 10 fingers that those children are not like this picture 24/7. It goes without saying that they are starving in poverty. But I bet you that after that photograph was taken that they all went and played football (soccer). My point is that even in the miserable condition they are in, they still have many blessings. They have friends, and come from strong communities. I would say that to them too. "There are some things you do not have, which I lament and pray that eventually you will have; but even right now, you have so many gifts to be thankful for!" When you watch these TV shows and read stories about the poor of Africa, one common theme that runs through the experiences of visiting individuals, is that the children can still laugh and smile. Even in the depths of social depravity, they can find those moments of happiness.

[Guest]

Pretty sad.

[Guest]

I liked your replies they were great. Thanks and God bless!

Edited November 16, 2014 by Guest

[SaintOfVirtue]

Pretty sad.
[Attached Thumbnail]

It's naive to believe that if the USA hadn't gone to war we could have stopped world hunger for 30 years. Do you realize that the reason there is a lack of food in those countries in the first place is because of terrorists and warlords preventing any progress that would abate the issue? For the same reason: only a fraction of the humanitarian aid sent to those countries ever reaches it's destination, the rest is stolen by terrorists and warlords. We can't send aid workers if they're going to be killed by terrorists and have their supplies stolen. Edited November 16, 2014 by SaintOfVirtue

[Guest]

Good point.

[Gabriela]

He saw His foster-father beg on the streets of Egypt just to feed his family.

 

St. Joseph begged in Egypt? What oral tradition is this in? I want to read it.

[beatitude]

It's naive to believe that if the USA hadn't gone to war we could have stopped world hunger for 30 years. Do you realize that the reason there is a lack of food in those countries in the first place is because of terrorists and warlords preventing any progress that would abate the issue? For the same reason: only a fraction of the humanitarian aid sent to those countries ever reaches it's destination, the rest is stolen by terrorists and warlords. We can't send aid workers if they're going to be killed by terrorists and have their supplies stolen.

 

I have been an aid worker and I'm completing my PhD in a department for peace and conflict studies, which is staffed by people who are senior in the field of humanitarian aid. The graphic is simplistic, but so is this. Reducing world hunger isn't a question of sending aid workers and supplies. Food insecurity in the DRC is caused in large part by the ongoing bloody conflict there, for example, which major corporations fuel through the manufacture of electronics. Every single one of us is probably typing on a computer or phone that contains conflict minerals that were mined in terrible conditions. That war is big business and the side effects (mass population displacement, hunger) are overlooked in the stampede to own the latest smartphone. Other major multinational companies (especially mining companies) contribute to the problem because of destructive environmental practices that leave local people struggling to grow crops. Governments of developed countries are complicit in all of this because they engage in trade with despotic governments and even arm them. So it is true that war and the arms trade are major factors in food insecurity and hunger, although not for the reason that that photo suggests.

[Basilisa Marie]

St. Joseph begged in Egypt? What oral tradition is this in? I want to read it.

 

Agreed!  Though it makes sense if you think about their situation. Joseph's trade must have been built on relationships, and it would have been hard for him to just "set up shop" in Egypt. He probably spent time as a general laborer, it's not like they would have lots of money to set up a brand new shop. When he finally made it back to Nazareth, he would have been able to reconnect with family and reenter the business. 

 

If anything, it makes a lot of sense as a pious legend. 

Edited November 16, 2014 by Basilisa Marie

[An Historian]

I'm on my Samsung tablet right now, so I can't confirm it, but I believe it was in Saint Alphonsus' work The Glories of Mary, amd his treatise inside it on the Seven Sorroes that I came across the tradition of Saint Joseoh begging. I don't know how old the tradition is or where it originated from, but I find it to be an incredibly powerful thought.

[Gabriela]

I'm on my Samsung tablet right now, so I can't confirm it, but I believe it was in Saint Alphonsus' work The Glories of Mary, amd his treatise inside it on the Seven Sorroes that I came across the tradition of Saint Joseoh begging. I don't know how old the tradition is or where it originated from, but I find it to be an incredibly powerful thought.

 

Yep, found it there:

 

They had no servant to attend them. Joseph and Mary, said St. Peter Chrysologus, had no man servant nor maid-servant; they were themselves both masters and servants. Oh God, how piteous a spectacle it was to see that tender Virgin, with that newly born infant in her arms wandering through this world! St. Bonaventure asks, Where did they obtain food? Where did they rest at night? How were they lodged? What other food could they have, than a piece of hard bread which Joseph brought with him or begged in charity? Where could they have slept (particularly in the two hundred miles of desert through which they travelled, where, as authors relate, there were neither houses nor inns) except on the sand, or under some tree in the wood, in the open air, exposed to robbers, or those wild beasts with which Egypt abounded?

 

:like2:

Edited November 16, 2014 by Gabriela