Apostolic Actions

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"If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your heart." Ps 95

As we watch the news videos of people trying to survive the devastation caused by war and natural disasters do we really see?  When we read about indigenous peoples being displaced from their lands to accommodate those who are destroying the Amazon rainforest for immense profit, do we really understand what that means?  When we hear there are millions of children orphaned, malnourished, suffering from a lack of basic needs and dying of very curable diseases, do we recognize those suffering as members of our family? Or have we become so used to seeing or hearing about these realities that we have hardened our hearts?

 

Our faith calls us to recognize the dignity of all people, to share our blessings with those in need, and to work for the common good. It is our responsibility to share our abundance. We must not be blind to the needs of others and sheltered in our own corner of the world. It is time we really open our eyes to see and our ears to hear the cry of the poor and vulnerable.

 

In each of the four gospels the story of the loaves and the fishes is told. Each is slightly different but all speak to a basic need, the response, the miracle, the amounts left over. Perhaps it is written in each gospel because Jesus shows us his mission so visibly with this story.  He is sensitive to the needs of others. He feels the responsibility for helping these people in need. He gives thanks for what God has provided. He takes it upon himself to assure all are fed and satisfied.  He does not waste what was left.

 

If we are to continue Christ’s mission let us take time to really “see” our neighbors in need and love them enough to share our blessings every day not just for a Lenten project but in every way we live. Let us think before we act – using less of our earth’s resources, standing up for what is fair and equitable, being sensitive to the needs of others and not waste what we have when others have none. If we are to be real disciples of Jesus our mission is to see, hear and care for the needs of our brothers and sisters. The time to act is now!

 

"Nobody is so poor he has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich he has nothing to receive." Pope John Paul II

 

Use the sites below to explore and learn more about the needs in our world. Then turn what you learn into action.

• www.povertyandhunger.org  facts on poverty and hunger throughout the world
• www.poverty.com   facts on hunger and hunger related causes
• www.theendofpoverty.com for DVD on poverty – high school and college level
• www.facingthefuture.org  free teachers guides elementary and secondary on global issues – climate change, poverty, environmental degradation, conflict, health crisis
• www.nwf.org – Teaching children about global warming and the effects on God’s creatures
• www.tiki.oneworld.net – Tiki the penguin explains global warming
• http://www.acoolerclimate.com/10-global-warming-fast-facts-that-will-blow-your-mind/  10 facts on global warming
• environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming
  

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  More Websites Resources
• Environment - From creatures to global issues - an excellent child user friendly site for all ages
• Environmental Issues - good information, reference material and resources for elementary aged children - child friendly site 
• Environment for Middle School - friendly site for middle school kids
• The United Nations CyberSchoolBus -(click on CyberSchoolBus ) resources and activities for use in the classroom, current information on countries, countries at a glance, introduction to the U.N., comparison of countries, global issues  
• Kids for Saving the Earth - child friendly site on water, air, land, creatures
• Edutopia – ideas and lessons for anenvironmentally conscious world.

 

 

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