Dignity for All

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in,  and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?  But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court?  Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

James 2:1-7

The nation was transfixed by marijuana legalization yesterday and in the smoky haze a far more important event was largely ignored by the media. It was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which admittedly is an earnest mouthful.

While people were lined up at the pot shops groups gathered in various locales across Canada to draw attention to the estimated 5.8 million people in this affluent country who are poor. The recently elected moderator of the United Church, Richard Bott, was on Parliament Hill as part of the Dignity for All Chew on This initiative which is drawing attention to the four million Canadians who are "food insecure." https://www.united-church.ca/social-action/act-now/chew



While still in active ministry I wrote regularly about the meal ministries of congregations I served. There was always the conundrum of providing a necessary service which would not be necessary if governments at all levels addressed the plight of those who are living from day to day in terms of the basics of life, often desperate and unwell because of poverty. In Ontario the new government has frozen social assistance increases, killed a minimum wage increase, and ended a guaranteed income pilot project, while Premier Ford bloviates about being "for the people."

I am grateful for those who continue to speak and act on behalf of those who are too often ignored and stigmatized in our culture. Recently the Poverty Roundtable in Hastings County met with the minister of social services in Ontario and I commend the Rev. Ed Bentley's letter of response to you.

http://povertyroundtablehpe.ca/prt/2018/10/16/meeting-with-minister-macleod-and-minister-smith/

The faith delegation to yesterday's rally in Ottawa had a photo op at the "Homeless Jesus" sculpture by Timothy Schmaltz which is in front of Christ Church Cathedral on Sparks St, which was appropriate.

It is not a sin to be poor but it is a sin to treat the poor as second-class citizens, and the bible tells us so.

Thoughts?