PO' FOLKS - One Bread, One Body, 7/29/2009

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Wednesday, July 29, 2009, St. Martha

Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99:5-7, 9, John 11:19-27, or Luke 10:38-42
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/072909.shtml

PO' FOLKS

"Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him to her
home." —Luke 10:38

Martha should be the patroness of those dedicated to serving the poor. We
need Martha and all the help we can get because serving the poor is much
more difficult than it seems. When we help the poor, we may be either
helping them stay trapped in the cycle of poverty or helping them go free.
Sometimes it's difficult to know the difference.

We can learn three things from Martha's relationship with Jesus to help us
truly serve the poor. First, Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the
better part; that is, sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His words
(Lk 10:39). If we rely only on our own understanding (see Prv 3:5) or
merely adapt typical approaches to serving the poor, we may unknowingly
promote poverty rather than fight it. We must face the fact that we often
don't know what we are doing in serving the poor. We must seek God's will.
Second, Martha's hands-on, personal, home-based hospitality is the
Biblical model for serving the poor. This should be preferred to the
institutional model. Third, authentic service to the poor means meeting a
person's greatest need: the need to personally know, love, and serve
Jesus.

We must love the poor enough to proclaim to them Jesus' words to Martha:
"I am the Resurrection and the Life: whoever believes in Me, though he
should die, will come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in Me
will never die. Do you believe this?" (Jn 11:25-26)

Prayer: Father, use me to feed and free many materially poor people.

Promise: "Your brother will rise again." —Jn 11:23

Praise: St. Martha told Jesus, "Yes, I do believe" (see Jn 11:27). She
"welcomed [Jesus] to her home" (Lk 10:38).

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from June
1, 2009 through July 31, 2009
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, January 5, 2009

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.

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