I owe the inspiration for this post to Paula at MoreLight. She had a link from her site that led me to a tremendous film by Gerry Straub. Even more poignant is the fact that four members of our St. Irenaeus Secular Franciscan Fraternity are spending this week in the Kensington District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania working and living with the poor at St. Francis Inn. I’ve never been there but I do know a couple of the founders and I have the privilege of knowing people who work and or have worked there. We are entering the season of Advent, a time of preparation for the birth of Christ. Much has been made of a so-called “War on Christmas”. I think that’s sort of a red herring. The real issue is the on-going war on Christ and the Gospel of Jesus by the government and the people of this and other countries who have turned their back on the poor. Yearly we spend billions on weapons systems and war. We talk of faith and the importance of faith but that’s really just lip service. We really don’t care about faith, God or God’s creation. Take some time to watch this film by Gerry Straub about St. Francis Inn and ask yourself what you might be able to do for the least of our brethren living among us. What are you being called to this advent? Spending time and money at places like Kensington and St. Francis Inn will do more to end violence and terror than any weapons systems devised.
Peace.