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Created for Good Works
 This season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving calls us to consider our works and respond to God's word. The readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent feature prophesy and Paul's scrutiny of the role of works in our lives. Because the People of Israel "mocked God's messengers, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets" (2 Chr 36:16), God allows the Persians to come to power "to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah: Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest" (36:21). We perceive contemporary disregard for God's law and order, expressed in creation, and a rejection of Sabbath and rest for human persons and created matter in pursuit of profit. We see the distortion and exploitation of human labor as a means to profit, rather than the just use of profit as a means to serve humanity. In the midst of this confusion, we hear contemporary echoes of Cyrus' voice calling us to faith and to worship. The psalmist reminds us that we must place "Jerusalem," or faithful worship of God, ahead of any other joy in life (cf. Ps. 137:6). Paul also affirms the centrality of faith: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8). None of our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving merits this grace, which "is not from works, so no one may boast" (2:9). So why persevere in good works? Because "we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them" (2:10). Our works express who we are and our participation in God's plan. Only God can heal our hearts, our relationships, and the earth entrusted to us. We were created to participate in that healing. The Fourth Sunday of Lent is also Laetare Sunday, the midway point when we look forward to our celebration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. As we recognize the destructive fulfillment of prophets' warnings, we continue to gaze on the Son of Man lifted up for our redemption and salvation. We ask for the grace to live the truth and come to the light, "so that our works may be clearly seen as done in God" (Jn 1:21). Christy Elliott FAN Director of Care for Creation
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Faith in the Cross vs. Faith in the Dollar Sign
 This Lent, FAN reflects on how the Sunday readings speak to us in the context of concern for the influence of money in politics. In addition to the Lectionary reflection above, each week features an image from a collage by Br. Jeffrey Wilson, TOR.
The fourth portion of Br. Jeff's collage features an image from the right side of the collage, where a lion and a prophet holding a crucifix stand on a cliff and look out over the scene. The pairing of the prophet and the lion represents truth and justice and the proper relationship between humans and the rest of creation.
READ Br. Jeff's explanation of the origin of these images and the scriptural passages they represent on FAN's blog.
Find these and other Lenten resources, such as a Care for Creation calendar, on FAN's Lent 2012 webpage.
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Stations of the Cross with John Paul II:
On the Path of Ecological Conversion
FAN is pleased to offer "Stations of the Cross with John Paul II: On the path of ecological conversion" in both English and Spanish. These Stations have been revised and redesigned for 2012.
Please visit FAN's Lent 2012 webpage to download the Stations in PDF form and to access other Lenten resources. |
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Prayer and Action for Peace: "Free Our Planet from Nuclear Arms"
 The USCCB reminds us that President Obama committed to "put an end to Cold War thinking" and urges him to do so in upcoming important, once-in-a-decade decisions on the Presidential nuclear weapons policy "guidance."
Please join thousands of Americans by adding your name to a petition to the President before March 31, 2012.
- The Second Vatican Council taught: "[T]he arms race is an utterly treacherous trap for humanity, and one which ensnares the poor to an intolerable degree." Our nation currently plans to spend about $210 billion over the next ten years to maintain our Cold War-based nuclear force structure.
- Pope Benedict XVI stated in in his 2010 World Day of Peace Message: "I firmly hope that ... concrete decisions will be made towards progressive disarmament, with a view to freeing our planet from nuclear arms."
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Money in Politics: Act to Protect the FDA from Corporate Influence
President Obama has appointed former Monsanto Vice President and lobbyist Michael Taylor to become senior advisor to the FDA's commissioner. Taylor oversaw policy for Monsanto's genetically modified bovine growth hormone (rBGH) and advocated that milk from rBGH-treated cows should not be labeled with disclosures. As a high-ranking FDA official in the 1990s, Taylor promoted allowing genetically modified organisms into the U.S. food supply without any tests to determine their safety or risks.
Please contact President Obama at (202) 456-1414 or by email to tell him that you oppose the appointment of Michael Taylor.
Read Br. Keith Warner, OFM's article about Catholic Social teaching and the ethics of agricultural biotechnology.
FAN is a member of the Just Label It! campaign to encourage the FDA to require labeling of genetically modified food products.
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People Over Profits: Fasting for Fair Food
Last week, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) led a Fast for Fair Food to raise awareness of unjust wages for agricultural workers who supply several major grocery chains. The CIW has signed agreements with other grocers for acceptable wages. |
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If you missed FAN's webinar on:
"Understanding Compassion: A 50-State Immigration Initiative,"
you can view and listen to the recording online.
The slides for the presentation are also available online.
The webinar referenced California's "Trust Act," proposed Jan. 28, as an example of positive state-level legislation. San Francisco's Archbishop George Niederauer spoke in support of the Trust Act. Further information about the proposed legislation is available through the National Day Laborers Organization.
The webinar also featured the policy of "prosecutorial discretion," which allows law enforcement officials to focus on high priority offenders for deportation. NETWORK highlighted a Jan. 19 report with results from pilot programs of this policy in Baltimore and Denver. Slides from a Justice For Immigrants webinar on Prosecutorial Discretion are available on the JFI website.
"Eucharist Without Borders", an April 11-13 immigration conference, sponsored by Celebration Publications, affiliated with the National Catholic Reporter. "Eucharist without Borders" will take place just south of Tucson, AZ.
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"Leaping into Public View: Training in Media Strategy"
A recording of FAN's "Leaping into Public View: Training in Media Strategy" webinar is available, as are the presentation slides.
Presenters reviewed how to engage the news media effectively, using upcoming FAN press events on money in politics as an example. Topics included messaging, communicating with reporters, and writing press releases.
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Is THIS the Fast I Seek?: Economy, Livelihood and Our National Priorities
 Every year, Franciscans join a diverse group of Christians for Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington, DC. This year's conference (March 23-26) addresses economic justice in U.S. federal budget priorities.
Join FAN staff, Action Commissioners, and other members for the 10th anniversary of EAD.
If you plan to attend, please contact Patrick (pcarolan@franciscanaction.org) so that we can coordinate a Franciscan gathering during the program.
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Calling Scholars for "A Catholic Consultation on Environmental Justice and Climate Change"
A scholars' conference sponsored by the USCCB, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, the Catholic University of America, and CUA's Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies will take place at CUA November 8-10, 2012. The conference will explore the implications of recent papal teaching - particularly that of Pope Benedict XVI - on environmental justice, creation and solidarity. Scholars from across academic disciplines (especially from theology, religious studies, philosophy, and economics, as well as public health, history, biology and other sciences) are encouraged to submit paper proposals.
Paper proposals are due on March 15, 2012. Learn more in this Call for Papers.
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O God, who through your Word
reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way,
grant, we pray,
that with prompt devotion and eager faith
the Christian people may hasten
toward the solemn celebrations to come.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Prayer for the Fourth Sunday in Lent)
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Mission Statement
Inspired by the Gospel of Jesus, and the example of saints Francis and Clare, the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) is a collective Franciscan voice seeking to transform U.S. public policy related to peacemaking, care for creation, poverty, and human rights. |
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