The Psalmist writes that the needy will not be forgotten, and the hope of the poor will not perish forever. Dear God, our society has completely eliminated the concept of “for the common good.” As a society we have forgotten the obligation of justice for those in need. Reading your words in the Christian Bible, we learn that Jesus preaches social order which incudes charity for those society has forgotten. For the sake of the common good is no longer a consideration of our society; for this we ask your forgiveness.
Jesus taught the greatest commandment is to love God with all our hearts and with all our souls, and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. By letting our neighbor live in poverty and without nourishment is not love. We treat former enemies better than we treat our poor neighbors.
Virtually all our major religions teach us to aid those in need, yet we do not do this. Too many people are begging for money at intersections. Too many people are living under the bridges of our cities. For a self-identified Christian country, we are definitely not.
We must turn round and consider the hope of the poor. We must open our hearts to hear your word and prayer that we will love one another. In Galatians Paul says, “They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.”
Sometimes, I think that we remember the poor, but that is all. Dear God, help us consider the hope of the poor.
© Russell Kendall Carter
Meditating to Heal 