Happy Belated Labor Day – the day that we celebrate workers for all that they do to enrich our lives – and, in reality, to keep us going in life. Just think about how much we depend on each other. Pick up any object, and reflect on who all is necessary in the process of getting it to us and taking care of it for us. Whew.
Luke 10:25-37: “The Good Samaritan.” Even people with no connection to church, Scripture, or faith know the phrase. It’s carved into our language like a proverb, used to describe anyone who helps a stranger in need. We see it everywhere: in stained glass and sculpture, in hospital names and humanitarian awards, even etched into coins. But if we reduce it to a feel-good message—“just be nice and help people”—we miss the heart of it. To feel the full weight of what Jesus is doing in this story, we have to ask: who were the Samaritans? And why would Jesus make one of them the hero? The answer just might set us free. By the time of Jesus, Samaritans and Jews had been divided for centuries. Though they shared ancient roots, Samaritans were seen as heretics—reviled for worshiping on Mount Gerizim and reading a different version of the Torah. The hatred ran both ways, long and bitter.
Homelessness has always been an issue. It is a problem for which there is no easy solution and there are many ideas for combating homelessness around the world. Some places, Finland for example, provide an apartment for those facing a lack of housing. This allows the person to have a safe place to live while they seek stability. Unfortunately, the current administration in this country seems intent on criminalizing homelessness and dehumanizing those who find themselves in such a desperate situation.
“Get up, get dressed.” These words became a sort of tagline during 2020-2021, the COVID era, when so many people were working from home and students were doing Zoom classes. These words were to inspire people to carry on.
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
“…we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” - Colossians 1:9-12
As I write this article, I am with my family on vacation in one of the most beautiful places on the planet-Wyoming and specifically visiting the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. The land and its geography are incredible, and the animals enhance its overwhelming beauty.
The budget just passed by Congress provides for cutting SNAP and Medicaid for the poor by $1,000,000,000,000 (One trillion dollars). There are plans to eliminate agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well. We need to ask ourselves why did the government start those programs? During the Great Depression, Catholic Charities asked the government to step in to help the poor. The need was more than the universal Church could handle. Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, and many church denominations supplement what the government is doing, through food pantries, soup kitchens, and assistance with utilities, etc.
It’s natural for us to look to the successful for wisdom. We love stories of those who overcame obstacles—whether in sports, business, or faith. But if we’re not careful, we fall into what’s called survivorship bias—the mistake of only studying the winners, and ignoring those who didn’t make it.