In Lv. 19:1-2, 11-18, Yahweh gives his people their marching orders. Everything is based on the fact that God is God and that the people are to fear God—tremble before the glory and power of God. [I use Yahweh advisedly because that is the name God gave and the circumlocution—Lord—according to Fr. Roger Karban, a scripture scholar, was the word for Ba’al. I am afraid that Rome did not do its homework on the recent injunction regarding the use of this word.]

Yahweh stresses fair and equitable treatment of others. The people are to treat one another justly. The fullness of the “law” has yet to be revealed because these injunctions apply only to their fellow Jews. Jesus will broaden the invitation. Neighbor will mean every other person regardless of national origin. We Christians are to love everyone—no exceptions.

This is it—Mt 25. This is the passage that opened my eyes to our responsibilities as Christians. This is the capstone of Jesus’ teaching. We will be held accountable for how we have treated every person, especially the least among us. The war of words rages in Washington over budget priorities. According to the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world, the Obama priorities are going to destroy America. Jesus is neither a liberal nor a conservative but he does teach us that we are in solidarity with one another.

We do have a responsibility to not build silos to hoard our wealth. We are to help our fellow human beings have what they need in order to live godly lives now. Our personal budgets AND our national budgets should reflect this reality. When I say these things, people call me a socialist. I simply tell them, “I am not a socialist. I am a Christian.” One person said to me, “Where do you get that nonsense.” I replied, “From the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Listen to Gregory of Nazianzen:

Brethren and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God’s gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God’s justice, and no one will be poor. Let us not labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need. If we do, the prophet Amos will speak out against us with sharp and threatening words: Come now, you that say: When will the new moon be over, so that we may start selling? When will the sabbath be over, so that we may start opening our treasures?

Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction. To all earth’s creatures he has given the broad earth, the springs, the rivers and the forests. He has given the air to the birds, and the waters to those who live in the water. He has given abundantly to all the basic needs of life, not as a private possession, not restricted by law, not divided by boundaries, but as common to all, amply and in rich measure. His gifts are not deficient in any way, because he wanted to give equality of blessing to equality of worth, and to show the abundance of his generosity. (In Lv. 19:1-2, 11-18, Yahweh gives his people their marching orders. Everything is based on the fact that God is God and that the people are to fear God—tremble before the glory and power of God. [I use Yahweh advisedly because that is the name God gave and the circumlocution—Lord—according to Fr. Roger Karban, a scripture scholar, was the word for Ba’al. I am afraid that Rome did not do its homework on the recent injunction regarding the use of this word.]
Yahweh stresses fair and equitable treatment of others. The people are to treat one another justly. The fullness of the “law” has yet to be revealed because these injunctions apply only to their fellow Jews. Jesus will broaden the invitation. Neighbor will mean every other person regardless of national origin. We Christians are to love everyone—no exceptions.
This is it—Mt 25. This is the passage that opened my eyes to our responsibilities as Christians. This is the capstone of Jesus’ teaching. We will be held accountable for how we have treated every person, especially the least among us. The war of words rages in Washington over budget priorities. According to the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world, the Obama priorities are going to destroy America. Jesus is neither a liberal nor a conservative but he does teach us that we are in solidarity with one another.
We do have a responsibility to not build silos to hoard our wealth. We are to help our fellow human beings have what they need in order to live godly lives now. Our personal budgets AND our national budgets should reflect this reality. When I say these things, people call me a socialist. I simply tell them, “I am not a socialist. I am a Christian.” One person said to me, “Where do you get that nonsense.” I replied, “From the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Listen to Gregory of Nanziazen:

Brethren and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God’s gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God’s justice, and no one will be poor. Let us not labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need. If we do, the prophet Amos will speak out against us with sharp and threatening words: Come now, you that say: When will the new moon be over, so that we may start selling? When will the sabbath be over, so that we may start opening our treasures?

Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction. To all earth’s creatures he has given the broad earth, the springs, the rivers and the forests. He has given the air to the birds, and the waters to those who live in the water. He has given abundantly to all the basic needs of life, not as a private possession, not restricted by law, not divided by boundaries, but as common to all, amply and in rich measure. His gifts are not deficient in any way, because he wanted to give equality of blessing to equality of worth, and to show the abundance of his generosity. (In Lv. 19:1-2, 11-18, Yahweh gives his people their marching orders. Everything is based on the fact that God is God and that the people are to fear God—tremble before the glory and power of God. [I use Yahweh advisedly because that is the name God gave and the circumlocution—Lord—according to Fr. Roger Karban, a scripture scholar, was the word for Ba’al. I am afraid that Rome did not do its homework on the recent injunction regarding the use of this word.]
Yahweh stresses fair and equitable treatment of others. The people are to treat one another justly. The fullness of the “law” has yet to be revealed because these injunctions apply only to their fellow Jews. Jesus will broaden the invitation. Neighbor will mean every other person regardless of national origin. We Christians are to love everyone—no exceptions.
This is it—Mt 25. This is the passage that opened my eyes to our responsibilities as Christians. This is the capstone of Jesus’ teaching. We will be held accountable for how we have treated every person, especially the least among us. The war of words rages in Washington over budget priorities. According to the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world, the Obama priorities are going to destroy America. Jesus is neither a liberal nor a conservative but he does teach us that we are in solidarity with one another.
We do have a responsibility to not build silos to hoard our wealth. We are to help our fellow human beings have what they need in order to live godly lives now. Our personal budgets AND our national budgets should reflect this reality. When I say these things, people call me a socialist. I simply tell them, “I am not a socialist. I am a Christian.” One person said to me, “Where do you get that nonsense.” I replied, “From the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Listen to Gregory of Nanziazen:

Brethren and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God’s gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God’s justice, and no one will be poor. Let us not labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need. If we do, the prophet Amos will speak out against us with sharp and threatening words: Come now, you that say: When will the new moon be over, so that we may start selling? When will the sabbath be over, so that we may start opening our treasures?

Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction. To all earth’s creatures he has given the broad earth, the springs, the rivers and the forests. He has given the air to the birds, and the waters to those who live in the water. He has given abundantly to all the basic needs of life, not as a private possession, not restricted by law, not divided by boundaries, but as common to all, amply and in rich measure. His gifts are not deficient in any way, because he wanted to give equality of blessing to equality of worth, and to show the abundance of his generosity. (In Lv. 19:1-2, 11-18, Yahweh gives his people their marching orders. Everything is based on the fact that God is God and that the people are to fear God—tremble before the glory and power of God. [I use Yahweh advisedly because that is the name God gave and the circumlocution—Lord—according to Fr. Roger Karban, a scripture scholar, was the word for Ba’al. I am afraid that Rome did not do its homework on the recent injunction regarding the use of this word.]
Yahweh stresses fair and equitable treatment of others. The people are to treat one another justly. The fullness of the “law” has yet to be revealed because these injunctions apply only to their fellow Jews. Jesus will broaden the invitation. Neighbor will mean every other person regardless of national origin. We Christians are to love everyone—no exceptions.
This is it—Mt 25. This is the passage that opened my eyes to our responsibilities as Christians. This is the capstone of Jesus’ teaching. We will be held accountable for how we have treated every person, especially the least among us. The war of words rages in Washington over budget priorities. According to the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world, the Obama priorities are going to destroy America. Jesus is neither a liberal nor a conservative but he does teach us that we are in solidarity with one another.
We do have a responsibility to not build silos to hoard our wealth. We are to help our fellow human beings have what they need in order to live godly lives now. Our personal budgets AND our national budgets should reflect this reality. When I say these things, people call me a socialist. I simply tell them, “I am not a socialist. I am a Christian.” One person said to me, “Where do you get that nonsense.” I replied, “From the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Listen to Gregory of Nanziazen:

Brethren and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God’s gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God’s justice, and no one will be poor. Let us not labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need. If we do, the prophet Amos will speak out against us with sharp and threatening words: Come now, you that say: When will the new moon be over, so that we may start selling? When will the sabbath be over, so that we may start opening our treasures?

Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction. To all earth’s creatures he has given the broad earth, the springs, the rivers and the forests. He has given the air to the birds, and the waters to those who live in the water. He has given abundantly to all the basic needs of life, not as a private possession, not restricted by law, not divided by boundaries, but as common to all, amply and in rich measure. His gifts are not deficient in any way, because he wanted to give equality of blessing to equality of worth, and to show the abundance of his generosity. (Oratio 14: De pauperum amore)

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me!” If we imitate God’s justice, there will be no poor among us.