March 7 | Tuesday in the Second Week of Lent

“Almsgiving to those in need is the mother of love, the love that is characteristic of Christ Himself. Almsgiving is greater than all the miracles that we use to demonstrate the power of Christ.”    

-John Chrysostom  345  

“Listen, I have always been grateful for the Thanksgiving baskets of food that we picked up at Emmaus House so many years ago. When my father came back from Iraq, he fell apart. It was terrifying. What did he need? What could we do to help? He couldn’t or wouldn’t tell us. I am not poor now. But I remember being poor. The thing about being poor is that my life seemed to be right up to my face. I could hardly see my way. I had to accept help and my mother would not allow us to feel bad about ourselves. But still, I do wonder what the cashiers thought of me when I presented my food stamps.”

 - Rebecca, 21, Emmaus House Thanksgiving Home Donation

“Are there poor people who play the system? Shiftless idle scroungers! Living life on the handout line? Who play the system and defraud the assistance programs. Sure, there are. I know some. But nowhere near the number of so-called privileged people who spend time and money gaming the system for themselves. There is absolutely no evidence at all anywhere to support the politicization and weaponizing of poverty in order to deflect our own cheating and gaming. Sorry to say this, but if the shoe fits, then wear the shoe. I think it is so important for people with privilege, good decent Americans to join the effort against such demonization of the so-called poor.”

-The rev Austin Ford, Founder of Emmaus House Ministries

“I have so often heard it said that Washington is broken. Okay, fine. So who should we blame? Should we blame Biden or Trump or Obama? Hoover or Roosevelt? Blame the Hollywood elites? The radical left? The far right? The rich and powerful?  No, I have an idea. Let's blame the people with no power. And no money. Don’t you see how malevolent this attitude is?” 

- Iain Banks, Novelist 2013  

Jesus told us that ”the poor will always be with you.” I often wonder why he said that and what he meant when he said it.