Tag Archive for: Poverty

The Pope’s Delicate Balance

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Armodoxy for Today: The Pope’s Delicate Balance

A big problem in the Church is reconciling the disparity between the lowly figure of the leader of our Faith, namely Jesus, and the large amount of wealth that can accumulate in the church coffers. I remember early in my ministry hearing about a protestant congregation in Walnut Creek that had a multi million dollar annual budget, yet they started each year and ended each year with only $2,000 in the bank. I remember thinking that that was truly a model of a Church, in other words, they spent what they took in, on ministry. Still, the idea of a dynamic ministry implies that it is changing and invites novel and innovative ideas to fulfill its mission. With the dreams, comes the need for funding. Hence,   the plight of non-profits, whether church or secular organization, is defined by donations from people who believe in the cause.

The model of Church operations is conducive to the accumulation of finances, as donors and contributors set endowments and trusts to take care of the needs of the church for years (or centuries) to come. In the case of the Church, as the Body of Christ, the words of Jesus, not to worry about material wealth, that God takes care of the birds and flowers, and how much more he will take care of us, cannot go unnoticed. And so, a delicate balance must be met twixt what is necessary to function and spending what has been provided. And those in leadership positions within the Church struggle to find that balance and make sure they don’t fall.

And so, it was truly refreshing when Pope Francis, of Blessed Memory, became the head of a two-thousand year old Roman Catholic Church, opted to travel the path of humility and live a modest lifestyle as was his custom from his days as the Prelate of Argentina.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. One such picture was taken when Pope Francis washed the feet of prisoners on Holy Thursday, in strict observance of Jesus’ command to follow the Divine example from the night of the Last Supper (see John 13). But the picture captured something more, when the Pope bent over and kissed the feet of the convicts.

The Pope goes by titles such as Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Servant of the Servants of God, and His Holiness. That kiss spoke volumes about the person and his understanding of wealth and his responsibility as head of the Church.

His humility is, arguably, his greatest legacy.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for replenishing Your Holy Church with the servants who lead by example. Accept the offerings of all, and in the offering of humility by Pope Francis, may I find an example to live for others with my life. Amen.

Other Wars

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Armodoxy for today: Other wars

Continuing on the theme expressed yesterday, as to how we are conditioned for war, we point to a phenomenon that continues to breed war. It is the phenomenon of leading with a stale vision. This year, this phenomenon is even more accentuated with the presidential elections here in the United States. The two leading contenders for the position have lived the good part of eight decades and are now “sharing their vision for the future” vying for votes. What vision and for what future?

This not only true in the United States, but a quick glance around the globe and you’ll see its usually older men who engage in wars that the young ones fight. We hide behind the concept of funding wars, while shipping off kids to fight those wars.

Jesus came to the world to challenge the stale visions with an option for life.  “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’” (Matthew 9) says Jesus, to a world that is desperate for a vision, a vision which is articulated by love and its manifestations, such as mercy.

Today we fund wars throughout the world based on stale visions which propagate more hatred and more war. Death, disease, famine instead of life, health and wealth. Think of the billions of dollars that can be used to fight larger wars, such as housing and sheltering homeless populations or transferring flood waters to areas devastated by drought or exploring new innovations in medicine and technology to improve the quality of life. Yes, life, health and wealth.

We read in Proverbs, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (29) In fact, the stale vision of war is literally and figuratively a one-way ticket to death, hence Jesus words, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” It is the direction of a life which follows a vision of faith, love and hope.

As the Body of Christ, the Church, has a responsibility and duty to continue to herald the vision for peace. This a sacred calling which is pronounced by God and heeded by humanity.

We end today with a prayer by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. O God, we thank you for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank you for our foreparents, who’ve given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. Grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.