“Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own.”
Isaiah 58:10
These words of Isaiah remind us of the corporal works of mercy that we’re invited to do as disciples of Christ. Here, God himself is calling us to act with mercy and justice, to show love and compassion to others … and not just our family and friends but also to the stranger. “Your own” is a all of humanity, all of us on this earth working towards building God’s kingdom on earth. Yet, we’re invited to do this by impacting the life of one person at a time, or as Saint Teresa of Calcutta said: “Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” Isaiah, like Jesus Christ, encourages us then to welcome these works of mercy, one person – one day at a time, adopting this habit or behavior in our lives slowly and consistently. The idea is to work toward building a community, a world that is better and holier, behaving in ways that would bring about more good and less evil in this broken world.
This is a great message to keep in mind as we prepare for this year’s Our Catholic Appeal campaign, remembering the good work that our Diocese does throughout Central Florida – all the projects and programs that help feed the hungry – like operating local pantries to feed the poor and homeless or preparing seminarians to feed the spiritual hunger of the faithful in our Diocese – that shelter the homeless – like providing homes for those in need or maintaining the spiritual homes of the faithful – and that clothe the naked – like working with our Sister Diocese in the Dominican Republic, providing for their needs or forming the faithful in our Diocese through the different ministries. Your donation helps support the work of our Diocese – to be, as Jesus states in the Gospel: “The light of the world,” giving the light of Christ to those in need. This year, our parish goal is $131,489, and so, we ask that you prayerfully consider a contribution to this year’s campaign. Many blessings and in advance, thank you for your dedication and support.
In Christ
Fr Robert