Here is Wisdom

Be attentive. Peter Maurin, ladies and gentlemen! Excerpts:

Feeding the Poor – At a Sacrifice

In the first centuries

of Christianity

the hungry were fed

at a personal sacrifice,

the naked were clothed

at a personal sacrifice,

the homeless were sheltered

at a personal sacrifice.

And because the poor

were fed, clothed and sheltered

at a personal sacrifice,

the pagans used to say

about the Christians

“See how they love each other.”

In our own day

the poor are no longer

fed, clothed, and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,

but at the expense

of the taxpayers.

And because the poor

are no longer

fed, clothed and sheltered

at a personal sacrifice,

the pagans say about the

Christians

“See how they pass the buck.”

And before any conservative gets too excited about this, go and give ten percent of your income to your church's efforts for the poor (or, even better, go give food from your cupboard, clothing from your closet, and a room in your house to the poor), then start using Maurin's words in defense of private charity over taxation for welfare. This is a challenge for me as well, by the way. I need to start making sure I don't neglect the works of mercy.