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20 Oct 2013 - Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

When Jesus comes again, will he find faith on earth? That is a haunting question. Where would any of us go to seek faith—that is, to seek the people who put their trust radically in God’s promises? Would we go to houses of prayer and worship? Would we go to monasteries and cloisters? Would we seek out those who have taken vows and sworn their lives over to the work of the church? Would we journey to the ends of the earth to where missionaries risk everything for the love of God? Might we also go to the homes of loving families who really do pull together and take care of each other? Would we seek out couples who’ve lived together for decades, witnessing to a kind of fidelity and constancy rarely seen in our world? Would we find the dedicated people who devote themselves single-heartedly to their vocations for the sake of others: as teachers, healers, researchers, artists, employers, community leaders? Would we look for the folks who practice radical charity by sharing their resources generously with those most in need? Would we consider people who work for justice in cluttered, poorly funded offices or in neighborhoods where most of us might fear to walk, working with populations we never even see in their misery? Jesus will find faith on earth in the same places and in the same proportions that the church takes its mission seriously—that we take our mission seriously as the people of God: to love each other, to be peacemakers, to care for our least brothers and sisters, to show God’s mercy, and to represent God’s justice. The annoying widow in today’s gospel exemplifies that spirit of mission. She will not give up, she will not desert her cause, no matter how long it takes, how exhausting the process, or how unlikely the results. Moses and his elderly brother and friend show the same spirit when together they support each other in fervent prayer over the battlefield. They may be too old to take up arms in the military sense, so they lift up their own arms and storm heaven for a victory! “The church does not have missions, it is mission,” says missiologist Father Robert Schreiter, C.PP.S. Mission is the reason the church exists—important to remember on World Mission Sunday. Mission isn’t something that goes on only at the far side of the world in distant cultures. The mission of every baptized person is to bring the Good News wherever they—we—go. In our thoughts and in our words. In what we do and refuse to do. Because the Good News about how God so loves the world is meant for a wider audience than the already convinced. Related scripture links They were not counted: Matt. 14:21; Mark 6:44; Luke 9:14; John 6:10 Widows’ garb: Gen. 38:14, 19 Widows are cheated and oppressed: 2 Kings 4:1; Job 22:9; 24:3; Ps. 94:6; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 7:6; 22:3; Ezek. 22:7; Zech. 7:10; Mal. 3:5; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47 Judges treat widows dishonestly: Isa. 1:23; 10:2; see story in 2 Sam. 14:4-11 The law defends widows: Exod. 22:22-23; Deut. 14:28-29; 16:11-12, 14; 24:17-22; 26:12-15; 27:19; Book of Ruth Christianity in the widow’s corner: Acts 6:1; 9:36-41; 1 Tim. 5:3-16; James 1:27 Do justice: Mic. 6:8 Catechism links Justice: CCC 1807; 2401-2449

Authors Alice Camille

Faith world mission sunday missions

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Time to toughen up

01 Feb 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts," the psalmist this Sunday urges listeners. When it comes to hardening automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards, however, President Barack Obama believes it's a good idea, and on Monday he directed federal regulators to move swiftly to allow states to do just that. Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its rejection of an attempt by the State of California to impose new emissions regulations which are significantly more restrictive than federal standards. California has for years had tougher standards, and 12 other states follow its lead. U.S. automakers began fighting the rejected rules before they were even written, claiming they would require a wholesale downsizing of the U.S. automobile fleet. But the cash-strapped automakers took a U-turn on Monday and said they welcomed Obama's move and hoped it will free up research funds and simplify a patchwork of U.S. regulations. "Our goal is not to further burden an already struggling industry; it is to help America's automakers prepare for the future," Obama said. "As we move forward, we will fully take into account the unique challenges facing the American auto industry and the taxpayer dollars that now support it. "For the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and commitment to change," Obama said in his first formal event in the East Room of the White House. "It will be the policy of my administration," he said, "to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs." Source: Articles by John M. Broder and Peer Baker for the New York Times, Ben Feller for the Associated Press, and Agence France Presse

barack obama california automobile emissions fuel efficiency environmental protection agency environmental policy

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Climactic moment on climate change?

13 Dec 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"What then should we do?" was the question on the minds of John the Baptist's listeners we learn in this Sunday's gospel. It is also the question at the forefront of the debate over global warming. Political leaders and scientists gathered in Copenhagen this week for an international climate summit some dub the world's "last chance" to control warming. At the same time the conference was getting underway the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday that greenhouse gases are endangering people's health and must be regulated. The move puts pressure on Congress to act on stalled climate legislation. The ruling paves the way for regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles, power plants, factories, refineries, and other major sources. Industry groups quickly criticized the decision, saying that the regulation of carbon dioxide would be legally and technically complex and would impose huge costs across the economy. EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said that the finding was driven by the weight of scientific evidence that the planet was warming and that human activity was largely responsible. Jackson waded into the current dispute over leaked e-mail messages from a British climate research group that have stirred doubts among some people about the integrity of climate science. "We know that skeptics have and will continue to try to sow doubts about the science," she said. "It's no wonder that many people are confused. But raising doubts--even in the face of overwhelming evidence--is a tactic that has been used by defenders of the status quo for years." Worldwide the vast majority of increased greenhouse-gas emissions is expected to come from developing countries such as China and India. But those countries have made it clear that their willingness to reduce growth in emissions will depend on what wealthier countries do first. That puts a spotlight on the U.S. in Copenhagen, observers said, and the EPA announcement was timed to boost the Obama administration's case that the U.S. is indeed taking action to combat global warming even though Congress has yet to act. In conjunction with the Copenhagen summit churches around the world this Sunday will ring their bells as part of what is being called "Hopenhagen," a call to action and prayer in response to climate change. Source: Articles by John M. Broder for the New York Times, Dina Cappiello and H. Josef Herbert for the Associated Press, Jeffrey Ball and Charles Forelle for the Wall Street Journal, and Ecumenical News International

china carbob dioxide emissions climate science lisa jackson summit copenhagen greenhouse gases climate change india global warming environmental protection agency hopenhagen

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We’re all in hot water if climate talks fail

20 Dec 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The psalmist this Sunday prays that the Lord "take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted." The goal of the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen is to get humanity to take better care of the environment. More than our own survival is at stake, according to a report released Monday at the summit. Climate change threatens the survival of dozens of animal species from the emperor penguin to Australian koalas. Rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and shrinking polar ice are taking a heavy toll on species already struggling to cope with pollution and shrinking habitats, said a study from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an intergovernmental group. "Humans are not the only ones whose fate is at stake here in Copenhagen--some of our favorite species are also taking the fall for our CO2 emissions," said Wendy Foden, an IUCN researcher and co-author of the study. The report detailed how climate change undermines the viability of 10 species, including leatherback turtles, beluga whales, clownfish, emperor penguins, and salmon. Australia's iconic bear-like koala faces malnutrition and potential starvation as the nutritional quality of eucalyptus leaves declines with the increase in CO2 levels, the report said. Polar species are especially hard hit. The ringed seal is being forced further north as sea ice it relies on for rearing its vulnerable pups retreats every decade. The emperor penguin, remarkably adapted to thrive in harsh Antarctic conditions, faces similar problems. Reduced ice cover makes it harder for these animals to mate and raise chicks and has caused a sharp decline in the availability of krill, a major food source. At midweek prospects for a wide-ranging accord in Copenhagen were dimming. "Countries and blocks of countries have come here with very hard positions," Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo said Tuesday. "You need some seismic shifts to really close a deal." A week ago the summit was being lauded as "Hopenhagen." As progress stalls some have starting calling it "Constipagen." Source: Articles by Marlowe Hood for Agence France Presse and Alex Morales and Jeremy van Loon for Bloomberg.com

climate change ringed seal bharrat jagdeo koala carbon dioxide emissions wendy foden iucn species animals climate summit copenhagen emperor penguin

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Giving up carbon for Lent

25 Mar 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Now is the time of judgment on this world,” Jesus affirms in this Sunday’s gospel as he explains his approaching death and resurrection to his followers. Most environmental scientists believe the time of reckoning for the world’s ecosystem is here as well, due to the steady increase in greenhouse gas emissions. In response, thousands of Christians worldwide are giving a new twist to Lenten abstinence by engaging in a “carbon fast.”From taking on ecologically minded practices like walking or biking to work to engaging in national advocacy and carbon-reduction campaigns, a growing number of faith groups are raising awareness of human involvement in climate change and promoting stewardship of the earth this Lent.The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington created a “Caring for Creation” Lenten calendar this year, with spiritual reflections, sacrificial actions, and practical suggestions everyone can consider during the season. “They are a way to help you grow in your commitment to be a wise steward of God’s Creation now and for future generations,” a statement on the archdiocese’s website said.A major focus of the carbon fast is poverty and the environmental injustice of climate change, a concept that is appearing more frequently in the concerns of both secular and religious green groups. An organization called Interfaith Power & Light also circulated a Lenten calendar of daily actions ranging from the straightforward (“Turn down your thermostat by one degree”; “Remember to bring reusable bags to the store”) to the symbolic (“Remember your baptism today, and the power of water. Try to conserve: Leave a bucket in the shower or kitchen sink, and collect ‘grey water’ to water the plants”). Sources: An article by Catherine Woodiwiss for Climate Progress via Alternet.org and postingsto the websites of the Archdiocese of Washington (adw.org) and Interfaith Power & Light (gwipl.org)

Justice Lent environmentalism interfaith power light archdiocese of washington ecology carbon fast carbon emissions

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Global warming heavily subsidized

24 Nov 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

A shepherd to his people, King David led the Israelites out of exile, the first reading this Sunday says. The world needs to be led away from its nearly complete reliance on fossil fuels due to their impact on the environment, nearly all climate experts agree. Yet fossil-fuel subsidies paid by industrial nations are more than five times the climate-aid provided to poorer nations that need funds to reduce emissions and adapt to global warming, a study says.Industrialized countries paid $58.7 billion in 2011 in subsidies to the oil, coal, and natural gas industries and to consumers of the fuels. That compares with climate-aid averaging $11.7 billion a year from 2010 to 2012, the Washington-based group Oil Change International said Wednesday.Eliminating the subsidies would help countries cut the greenhouse-gas emissions blamed for global warming and provide money to help poor nations cope with higher temperatures. Richer countries are trying to meet a pledge to provide $100 billion a year in climate aid by 2020.“The world is in a deep hole with climate change, and the first thing to do in a hole is to stop digging,” said Stephen Kretzmann, the founder of Oil Change International. “Governments are not only still digging, they’re still spending at least five times more in taxpayer support to dig more than they are to climb out.”Homily hint: The recent super-storm which ravaged the Philippines is a stark reminder that if indeed global warming is bringing ever-more violent storms and unstable weather, it is likely to be the poorest who suffer the worst. Those who can set a new direction owe it to those who must live with the results. Source: An article by Alex Morelos for Bloomberg.com

global warming fossil fuels oil change international stephen kretzmann emissions energy subsidies

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Court clears the air on EPA regulations

04 May 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The reading from the First Letter of Peter this Sunday describes God as one “who judges impartially according to each one’s works.” By a wide margin, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acted impartially and reasonably in requiring 28 states to reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which can lead to soot and smog.In doing so the justices upheld a federal regulation requiring states to limit pollution which contributes to unhealthy air in neighboring states, reversing a lower court ruling and handing a victory to President Barack Obama.Writing for the majority, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called the EPA rule a cost-effective way to allocate responsibility for emission reductions among so-called upwind states, and that the EPA need not consider each state's proportionate responsibility for the emissions in question.She also called the rule a "permissible, workable, and equitable interpretation" of the "good neighbor" provision of the federal Clean Air Act. This provision limits cross-border emissions that make it harder for downwind states to comply with federal air quality standards.Obama has promised to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020 compared with 2005 levels and has used EPA's clean air regulations to help achieve that goal. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the Supreme Court win validated the agency's broader efforts to protect national health."Today's Supreme Court decision is a resounding victory for public health and a key component of EPA's efforts to make sure all Americans have clean air to breathe," McCarthy said in a statement.Homily hint: The air we breathe is so essential to life that its contamination can be viewed in one sense as a violation of a basic human right. While we all rely on industry, industry produces waste and pollution, and regulations are essential to keep the damage limited. The Spirit may blow where it will, but pollution should not! Source: An article by Lawrence Hurley for Reuters

environmental protection agency supreme court pollution ruth bader ginsburg emissions epa

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New push for pollutant limits

08 Jun 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Spirit of the Lord goes out to renew the face of the earth, the psalmist says in the readings this Sunday, while also pointing out that if God takes away the breath of God’s creatures, they perish. In an effort to help renew the environment and preserve breath for future generations, the Obama administration unveiled a plan Monday aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by nearly a third over the next 15 years.Though it sets the deadline for some states to begin complying until long after Obama leaves office, the 645-page plan, expected to be finalized next year, amounts to one of the most significant U.S. actions on global warming and is designed to give the United States more leverage to prod other countries to act when negotiations on a new international treaty resume next year.Already, however, there has been pushback. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday introduced a bill that would try to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s rules unless proof was provided that the regulations will not threaten electric reliability, raise electricity prices, or cost jobs.McConnell, a Republican who represents Kentucky—a major coal-producing state which is also reliant on coal for electricity generation—faces a tight reelection battle in November and has been campaigning on a promise to protect the state's ailing coal sector. The EPA has assigned Kentucky one of the least stringent goals of reducing the carbon intensity of its power plant fleet, giving the state a chance to shift away from its coal-dominant energy mix over several years. On Monday two House lawmakers from the coal-producing state of West Virginia said they also plan bipartisan legislation to stop the EPA's power plant rules.McConnell said the U.S. labor secretary would need to certify that the EPA rules will not lead to job losses, the Congressional Budget Office would need to prove they would not harm economic growth, and the Department of Energy's statistics arm would need to show they will not raise electricity prices. Otherwise his bill would prevent the EPA from proceeding.The proposal will undergo at least four months of public comments. States, which can comply with individually set goals using a range of actions, must submit their plans to the EPA by June 2016.Homily hint: In the another Preaching the News item this week about immigration, a letter from U.S. Catholic leaders says in part, "Legislative obstruction in the face of preventable suffering . . . is not only a failure of leadership. It is immoral and shameful.” Encourage your elected leaders to consider the common good, not narrow political interests, when making policy decisions, especially about something as important as the future of the environment. Sources: Articles by the Associated Press and Valerie Volcovici, Ros Krasny, and G. Crosse for Reuters

environmental protection agency global warming mitch mcconnell carbon emissions coal epa power plants

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Religious trends: Formal religious identity on the decline

03 Jan 2016 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In the January 3 gospel for Epiphany, King Herod is greatly troubled by news of an approaching birth that he finds threatening. Christian religious leaders have cause to be troubled by news from an extensive survey showing that the Christian share of the U.S. population is declining rapidly while the number of adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing. While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages. The same trends are seen among whites, blacks, and Latinos; among both college graduates and adults with only a high-school education; and among women as well as men, the Pew Research Center reported earlier this year. Homily hint: We can read the poll results with dismay or we can choose to take them as a challenge to present the life-changing gospel in new ways and new places. Pope Francis challenges church-going Catholics to take their faith to the people, not wait for the people to show up at the churches. Let this be at the top of our New Year’s resolutions! For more on the Pew Center study, see: America’s Changing Religious Landscape

missions church attendance religious identity

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