Compassionate about the poor    Bill  Mulcahy  (Brisbane)   July 27, 2012    What Do You Say (Do) About Poverty?

Bill's previous articles www.spiritofthebush.net www.amakagaspiritus.org

Time after time I read articles that suggest that an overwhelming percentage (90%) of Christians say they are concerned about global poverty. Up to 80% say they feel a special responsibility to help solve this issue.

Just imagine if you will: what would happen if the millions of Christians all lived out the fundamental teachings of their faith seriously. We Catholics have The Preferential Option for the Poor and Catholic Social Teaching as the guide to engage ourselves in a relationship with the global poor.

One study, I read about, suggested that 45% of respondents believed that their church should do more to help the poor. But, are we not the Church? The Church for me is not the buildings, or Papal State, but each and every one of us. It is simply so easy to pass the buck onwards to the Church hierarchy, the Vatican or such, because of the perception that the church is rich, when as individuals, that make up this community of church, the issue falls directly at our individual feet.

Too often I think we as a community just talk of God and our faith. Instead of just listening to the Gospel, let’s start living the Gospel. Instead of just saying, let’s do. Actions speak louder than words. Do you feel a special responsibility to our poor? Are you a Catholic in action for the poor? As Mahatma Gandhi once said: Be the change that you want to see in our world. Remember: It is by the grace of God that we have been allowed to be so abundantly lucky.