“Pope St. Clement Adoring the Trinity” by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1737-1738), Alte Pinakothek (Accession No. L 877), Munich, Germany, Source/Photographer The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202 (PD, author’s life plus 100 years)
Human beings seek after origins as part of a greater search for meaning. Not only paleontology, anthropology, and archaeology derive from the need to know where we came from (and how to make sense of the world around us), but philosophy and theology. What – or Who – was the First Cause, the Prime Mover? And why are we here?
Though our answers to those questions may differ, the questions, themselves, are wired into our genes, no less so than the drive to seek out new horizons. Read more…
“She extends her hands to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow, for all her household is clothed in scarlet” (Prov. 31: 20-21).
Father, You gave us a description of the Virtuous Woman that we might emulate her. You care for the woman on the street corner with an empty cup. You care for the man living in a cardboard shack.
May we, too, remember the poor and homeless, especially during the winter months.
We have been given such an abundance of riches – warm beds, a roof over our heads, loved ones to care for us. The woman with a cup and the man in a shack are part of Your household, after all. They should be part of ours.
It was only through the death and Resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, we were washed white as snow. Help us to share what we have with those less fortunate; help us to share His love whatever the season.
Amen
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
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A Swedish Christmas Gift, Photo by Evalowyn (CC BY 3.0 Unported)
With the last leaf fallen and fields bare, we are confronted by the Christmas season. In truth, we can hardly avoid it. Carols blare an invitation to spending orgies. The Hallelujah Chorus trumpets sales.
There is arguably some precedent for this extended extravagance. The Wise Men may have traveled as long as two years before reaching their destination. Throughout, they followed the star. All to bring birthday gifts.
As Christians, we know, of course, that Jesus was the gift. The challenge for us, also, is to follow that star; to keep it in sight despite trials and distractions. It burns brightly still, if we will only choose to see. He is, after all, the Light of the world. Read more…
In 2010, 5.3 million families lived below the poverty level, in spite of the fact they had at least one family member employed for half the year or longer. These are the working poor[i] – the men and women with one or more jobs whose combined income will not cover basic necessities like food, clothing, and housing.
The challenge of simply staying alive places untenable burdens not only on wage earners, but the children and elderly they are attempting to support. Heroic efforts by those trapped in the cycle of poverty often make no perceptible difference.
Housing
“ ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head’ ” (Matt. 8: 20).
Like the Lord, Himself, the working poor have difficulty finding a place to lay their heads. In almost every case they pay more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing. The small amount they make will not stretch far enough, so the threat of homelessness is ever present.
Eviction is commonplace, effectively depriving families of most of their worldly goods, when a landlord does not make retrieval feasible, or funds are not present to allow for relocation in a timely manner.
Families are separated in the process, sleeping on a friend’s couch or floor one night and elsewhere the next. Despite the existence of governmental agencies and non-profit organizations, even finding temporary shelter – let alone affordable housing, in livable condition – can be a daunting task. Read more…
“Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” by Heinrich Hofmann (1889), Riverside Church, NY (PD-Art, PD-old-100)
“And it came to pass in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (Luke 2: 1).
Recently released census figures show that poverty is at its highest level since the 1960s. President Lyndon Johnson’s “war on poverty” is a faded memory.
Poverty is spreading to include the under-employed middle class. Long-term trends such as globalization, outsourcing, increased automation, and decreased unionization have combined to push median household income lower. These trends are not expected to reverse any time soon.
How different is our time from that in which Christ was born? Read more…
Most people assume that attorneys must be wealthy. Many law schools mistakenly laud wealth as the measure of achievement. Law Review is touted as the stepping stone not to public service, but Wall Street and private advancement.
We, who know Christ, follow in the footsteps of the greatest Advocate ever (1 John 2: 1). Our goal should not be to accumulate wealth in this world, but the next. Our glory is to suffer as He did.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12: 34).
Lord Jesus, You are our Advocate before the Father.
We seek to follow You…but only if the cost of discipleship is not too high. Only if we need not sacrifice our comfort or our pride.
Forgive our hesitation, Lord. Strengthen us for the task. Help us to remember that all we have, we have from You.
Amen
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
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The working poor are those with one or more jobs whose combined income remains below the poverty level. For them, employment is a ceaseless grind – constant motion without any measurable progress.
In 2010, there were 10.5 million individuals counted among the working poor (7.2% of the labor force; 15.1% of all part-time employees)[i]. These are not insignificant numbers, and they only get worse as we dig more deeply.
Families
“ ‘But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children’ ” (2 Sam. 12: 3).
More than four times the number of working poor with children under age 18 live in poverty, than those without children. Women are more likely than men to fall into the category of working poor. These statistics derive, in part, from the fact that safe and affordable child care may be impossible to obtain in the inner city.
An unreliable grandparent or neighbor charged with watching young children can all too easily put the employment (or education) of a single parent in jeopardy, by generating absences or latenesses on the part of the wage earner.
When childcare is unavailable, children as young as 6 or 7 years may be left at home unsupervised while their mothers work. This is not a matter of disregard for the children’s welfare. It is a Hobson’s choice, one of many such choices the poor are forced to make. Read more…
“The Mayflower Compact” by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (PD-ArtlPD-US-not renewed)
A foundation stone for democracy on this continent, the Mayflower Compact was the first document under which the Plymouth Colony was governed. The agreement, which established an elected authority all would obey, was signed in 1620 as the Mayflower rode at anchor in Cape Cod Harbor.
For the Sake of Freedom and Equality
The Pilgrims were actually comprised of two groups: Separatists and non-Separatists.
The Separatists sought religious liberty, specifically the right to separate from the Church of England. They had initially emigrated to the tolerant Netherlands, but found the Dutch culture at odds with their own.
The non-Separatists — like many to follow them — sought economic and social opportunity, and the chance for a better life in America.
In the broadest terms, all risked their lives for the sake of freedom and equality. Read more…
View of North America from low orbit satellite, Source https://NASA.gov, Author NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring, (PD)
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain…You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail” (Heb. 1: 10-12).
Lord Jesus,
When our foundations are shaken,
When the work of our hands fails,
When change overwhelms us,
And we cannot determine
Which way to go,
We turn to You
For You remain constant.
Though we may plumb
The mysteries of the universe
From the atom to the farthest star,
We remain Your creation,
Your children,
And will find no truth
Or solace
Apart from You.
Guide us through
These tumultuous times.
Help us to bear
Even the unbearable,
Trusting that You
Will work all things for good,
So that when our years fail
We may meet You in glory.
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed
A Lawyer's Prayers 