by John McDonald
Hastings Regional Director, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
This time of year, I find myself dusting off my suits in preparation for various events, such as weddings, liturgies and banquets. This year is heavy on banquets and professional events, such as the upcoming Catholic Social Services Celebration of Hope banquet (April 25) and Give Hastings Day (April 2). Most recently, the Catholic Social Services team attended the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting in which Hastings CSS received the Business of the Year - Nonprofit Award.
For this event, I broke out my best suit coat, nicest tie, and capped it all off with a lapel pin with the CSS logo. I’d be lying if I said I did not notice a slight feeling of discomfort attending an event at which I would be enjoying delicious food and beverages and wearing fine clothes, when I know there are people who do not have enough food and drink and decent clothing. Why does a social services agency, an organization that is supposed to serve those in need, regularly send representatives to events seemingly reserved for those with the most wealth and power? To answer this question, we must take a look at Luke chapter 16:19-31:
“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz′arus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz′arus in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz′arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz′arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
The moral of this story is that the rich man did not enter heaven because he did not love his fellow man. The rich man, who knew of Lazarus’s plight, failed to give him food. The rich man either walked past Lazarus every single day to enter his house or he avoided him by walking into a separate entrance. Either way, the rich man who had excess wealth failed to give Lazarus a scrap of food, a gift which could have saved his life. The rich man would not have even noticed a difference in his quality of life.
This passage brings to mind the Christian social principle associated with St. John Chrysostom that the rich exist for the sake of the poor and the poor exist for the salvation of the rich. In other words, the poor need the rich to thrive physically and the rich need the poor to thrive spiritually. There is a beautiful and natural relational dependence between the rich and the poor.
The problem is that many of the rich are not aware of the poverty in their own communities. In the era of suburban sprawl, American cities tend to isolation, both geographically and relationally, between the wealthy suburbs and those in poverty in the inner city. Modern-day Lazarus couldn’t walk to the modern day rich man’s doorstep even if he tried.
Enter Catholic Social Services: we are the bridge between these two worlds. Our role is to carry Lazarus to the gate of the rich man. We carry Lazarus, that is to advocate for the poor, both to alleviate the physical suffering of the poor and to alleviate the spiritual suffering of the wealthy. That is why Catholic Social Services was at that award banquet: we desire the mutual enrichment that occurs through the gift of oneself.
Consider this article a carrying of Lazarus to your doorstep. Will you imitate the rich man and step around those in need in southern Nebraska or will you follow in the footsteps of our staff, volunteers, and donors and have a direct encounter with those in need? I am not only asking this question to you, the reader, but to myself, my colleagues, and all those who work in social services. Will you continue to care for those in need?
At Catholic Social Services in Hastings, we have more than 30,000 visitors who show up at our gate every year. They are in need of sack lunches, fresh food, food boxes, hygiene items, diapers, furniture and vehicles. If you would like to help us care for the poor in Hastings through volunteering or donating please visit www.csshope.org/hastings or call 402-463-2112.
