16 March. The Social Action apostolate. SEE. Joseph had been involved in social action programmes for a long time and their son Aubrey once asked, “Dad, why do some of the parishioners seem to be against what you do? In our youth group we also find that the guys pick on me, when I raise the subject of poverty and wealth.  Sometimes even my sister doesn’t agree with my thinking.”  Joseph answered, “Maybe they don’t understand what true justice and love are, or maybe they’re scared to get involved.   Or maybe it is like it was with Jesus, when he went to his hometown and people there didn’t accept him   Maybe we need to get an outsider to give some talks, on the love of Jesus that is at the heart of our social action .” 

JUDGE, reflect and share. Scripture:  Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honour in his own country.  In Capernaum an official’s son was ill. He came to Jesus. Jesus said,  “ unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”  Jesus said, “Go, your son will live.”  The son was healed and all his household believed in Jesus.   From John 4:43-54.  

 Pope Francis:  In a world where everything is bought and sold, people’s sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money. We are constantly being pushed to keep buying, consuming and distracting ourselves, held captive to a demeaning system that prevents us from looking beyond our immediate and petty needs. The love of Christ has no place in this perverse mechanism, yet only that love can set us free from a mad pursuit that no longer has room for a gratuitous love. Christ’s love can give a heart to our world and revive love wherever we think that the ability to love has been definitively lost.  Dixit Nos 215.  Pope Leo: Saint Francis’ life was one of continuous self-emptying: from the palace to the leper, from eloquence to silence, from possession to total gift. Francis did not found a social service organization, but an evangelical fraternity. In the poor, he saw brothers and sisters, living images of the Lord. His mission was to be with them, and he did so through a solidarity that overcame distances and a compassionate love. Francis’ poverty was relational: it led him to become neighbor, equal to, or indeed lesser than others. His holiness sprang from the conviction that Christ can only be truly received by giving oneself generously to one’s brothers and sisters.  Dilexi Te. 64.

REFLECT-SHARE-ACT-PRAY.  Consider how important God’s love is in social action.  Is it doing good or welfare work?  What and how are you doing?