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A Clean Heart
Our Lenten journey continues with the readings for this Fifth Sunday Lent. In the first reading, God says, "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel" (Jer 31:31). When reflecting on this verse, I get a sense of optimism and renewal. But the reading also challenges me to think about how I live my faith. A covenant is an agreement between two or more. It is not a one-way arrangement. So when God says he will create a new covenant it is not a passive arrangement where we can sit back and let it happen. It requires that we accept this covenant, which means we say yes to God.
How do we say yes to God? What does that mean? The reading goes on to say, "I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more" (Jer 31:33-34). When I read this I think of the phrase associated with St. Francis: "Preach the Gospel and use words when necessary." In the very first book of the Holy Bible Cain asks God a very simple question: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Throughout the rest of the Bible and over the course of civilization we ask that same question over and over again. We keep hoping that at some point God will give us a different answer. We hope that God will say that it is just about our own individual needs; we do not have to care for the poor or welcome the stranger. It is fine if we focus on building our own wealth and not feeding the hungry or sheltering the homeless. We hope and pray that God will say, "You have worked hard for your money, so it is okay if you keep it. If your brother is hungry or homeless that is his problem for not working hard enough."
Of course God will never say this. Every time we ask the question God will give us the same answer. So if we are to be part of the covenant with God we have to accept God's answer: we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We are not living up to our end of the covenant if we hold on to our wealth, while some of God's children to go hungry. If we create policies that favor those living in wealth while many of God's children are homeless, we put our own individual wants over the needs of the hungry, the poor, the sick and the homeless. This Lenten season I ask myself the question: "Am I living up to my end of the covenant with God if I put my faith in the dollar sign over faith in the Cross?"
Patrick Carolan
Executive Director
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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 fifth portion of Br. Jeff's collage features a man and woman sitting on the throne platform featured in the third portion of the collage. "The man sitting on the throne represents leaders in society: those in governments, businesses, and communities. He holds a posture of superiority and dominance.... The woman standing behind the man is an image of Diana Moore's sculpture, Figure of Justice, and represents those who do not actively engage in exploitation, oppression, and violence but still benefit from these actions."
Read more of 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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Public Water Works!: Working with Sister Water
Over the past two years, FAN has participated in Corporate Accountability International's "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign to raise awareness of justice concerns related to bottled water. FAN is now pleased to announce CAI's "Public Water Works!" campaign, which will launch on World Water Day (March 22), in support of adequate funding for U.S. public water systems. Franciscans in the U.S. support access to clean water for our brothers and sisters in other countries. According to a Food and Water Watch report, our national water supply is at risk from the effects of privatization of water for profit, as illustrated by the case of Stockton, Calif.
Please consider signing a letter to President Obama and Members of Congress to ask for their commitment to this essential human right and gift of God's creation.
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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
This month, 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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By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God,
may we walk eagerly in that same charity
with which, out of love for the world,
your Son handed himself over to death.
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 Fifth 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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