Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?

Homeless in America goes on vacation Monday, April 28th and returns Monday, May 12th. Be sure to take a moment to peruse HIA for its hundreds of stories, articles and blogs that give triumphal insights into everyone's struggle with all kinds of poverty.

READING & REFLECTION

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:15-18

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Jaywalking, Fines & Fees

Homeless people are placed in a position where they are likely to come into contact with law enforcement more frequently than the general population. Characteristically, the homeless tend to receive an inordinate number of citations for health and safety code violations; for jaywalking, loitering, sleeping in public places or doorways; for victimless misdemeanors, and other low-level offenses known as “Quality-of-Life” or “Presence” crimes. Faced with the daily struggle to find shelter and food while not becoming victims of crimes themselves, homeless people typically are not able to pay court ordered fines and fees, nor are they able to complete court ordered community service obligations. Consequently, misdemeanor cases and infraction citations are often not dealt with; the problem is compounded when warrants are issued and additional fines assessed. As a result, some homeless people are denied access to rehabilitative services they need to regain housing, employment, and their independence. Those rehabilitative services include mental health programs, substance abuse counseling, medical services, job training, housing and food vouchers. (Homeless Court Program Policy and Report, Adopted by the American Bar Association, House of Delegates, August 2006, pg. 1)
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Harmonious Working Together, Part II

by
Saint Clement I of Rome

Continued from yesterday…

Let us, then, preserve the unity of the body that we form in Christ Jesus, and let everyone give his neighbor the deference to which his particular gifts entitle him. Let the strong care for the weak and the weak respect the strong. Let the wealthy assist the poor and the poor man thank God for giving him someone to supply his needs. The wise man should show his wisdom not by his eloquence but by good works; the humble man should not proclaim his own humility, but leave others to do so; nor must the man who preserves his chastity ever boast of it, but recognize that the ability to control his desires has been given him by another.

Think, my brothers, of how we first came into being, of what we were at the first moment of our existence. Think of the dark tomb out of which our Creator brought us into his world where he had his gifts prepared for us even before we were born. All this we owe to him and for everything we must give him thanks. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Saint Clement I (+99) was a Roman and the third pope to rule the Roman Church after Saint Peter. He reigned toward the end of the first century. According to tradition he was probably a freed man in the imperial household and was baptized by Saint Peter. He succeeded Cletus as Pope in 91, was exiled to the Crimea by Emperor Trajan. He labored so zealously preaching the faith among the prisoners working in the mines there that he was condemned to death and thrown into the sea with an anchor around his neck.
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Harmonious Working Together, Part I

by
Saint Clement I of Rome

Beloved, Jesus Christ is our salvation, he is the high priest through whom we present our offerings and the helper who supports us in our weakness. Through him our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven and we see, as in a mirror, the most holy face of God. Through Christ the eyes of our hearts are opened, and our weak and clouded understanding reaches up toward the light. Through him the Lord God willed that we should taste eternal knowledge, for Christ is the radiance of God's glory, and as much greater than the angels as the name God has given him is superior to theirs.

So then, my brothers, let us do battle with all our might under his unerring command. Think of the men serving under our military commanders. How well disciplined they are! How readily and submissively they carry out orders! Not everyone can be a prefect, a tribune, a centurion, or a captain of fifty, but each man in his own rank executes the orders of the emperor and the officers in command. The great cannot exist without those of humble condition, nor can those of humble condition exist without the great. Always it is the harmonious working together of its various parts that insures the well-being of the whole. Take our own body as an example: the head is helpless without the feet; and the feet can do nothing without the head. Even our least important members are useful and necessary to the whole body, and all work together for its well-being in harmonious subordination. To be continued tomorrow…

Saint Clement I (+99) was a Roman and the third pope to rule the Roman Church after Saint Peter. He reigned toward the end of the first century. According to tradition he was probably a freed man in the imperial household and was baptized by Saint Peter. He succeeded Cletus as Pope in 91, was exiled to Crimea by Emperor Trajan. He labored so zealously preaching the faith among the prisoners working in the mines there that he was condemned to death and thrown into the sea with an anchor around his neck.
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Tuesday Morning Thanksgiving and Praise Blog VII

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

Welcome in! Our Tuesday Morning Thanksgiving & Praise Blog is dedicated to give thanks and praise to the Lord for all the mighty works he is doing for all of us who are praying for the “poor”, abandoned and crushed in our lives - including ourselves. Peruse yesterday's Monday Morning Prayer Request Blog and one can get a strong sense of the needs out there. No doubt, God is moving and hearing our prayers!

What has God been doing in your life this past week, month, day, year and in this past minute? What prayers has he answered? What is Jesus doing in your life? How can we ever say “thank you” enough? Post a “thank you” blog to the Lord that gets mailed direct to heaven’s door. Whatever you write will be printed and presented each day at one hour Adoration for the rest of the week!

Pass it on! Let others know that even though we are often too busy, we’re never to busy to say “thank you” for all he has done for us. Come back next Tuesday or any time in the week to post new prayers of thanksgiving and praise. Return Monday or any day and post your intentions at Monday Morning Prayer Request Blog.

Here is how to post thanksgiving and praise:
1. Click on COMMENT at the bottom of this post.
2. Click the circle Anonymous at the bottom of the page.
3. Type your thanksgiving and praise in the box at the top.
4. Use your first name or initials at the end of what you wrote.
5. Visually check your spelling (no spell check)
6. Fill in the wavy letters in the security box.
7. Click on publish and send it to heaven’s door.
8. Giving thanksgiving and praise is the sign of a humble heart!
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Monday Morning Prayer Request Blog IX

Pray for one another, that you may be healed. James 5:16

Welcome in! Our Monday Morning Prayer Request Blog is dedicated to pray for those dear to the heart of Jesus - the homeless, the poor, the abandoned, the crushed, and forgotten. Also, we pray for ourselves and all the "poor, suffering and homeless" in our lives.

Who do you know that is crushed, broken, lost, abandoned or hurting? Come, post as many prayer requests as you wish for yourself or others - first names or initials only. Your prayer requests will be printed and presented each day this week at one hour Adoration for the Lord‘s consideration, great mercy and compassion.

Pass it on! Let your family and friends know that even though we are often too busy for much prayer, take a minute here to post prayers; someone will daily pray for each and every request. Please return next Monday or any time this week and post new prayer requests.

Here is how to post a prayer request:
1. Click on COMMENT at the bottom of this post.
2. Click the circle Anonymous at the bottom of the page.
3. Type your prayer request in the box at the top of the page.
4. Use your first name or initials at the end of what you wrote.
5. Visually check your spelling (no spell check)
6. Fill in the wavy letters in the security box.
7. Click on publish and send it heaven’s door.
8. Have faith - about the size of a grain of a mustard seed.

Return tomorrow for the Tuesday Morning Praise Blog! Give thanks to God for His mercy and compassion and for answering prayers for all the "poor" in our lives!
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Mercy Exalted

by
Bishop Guerry

Spiritual mercy is a very exalted form of charity towards our neighbor… True mercy, in the image of Christ’s mercy, is not a proudly condescending and pharisaic pity for poor sinners – an attitude in itself perhaps sinful. To be truly merciful is to understand and to love sinners, because we know the extent and the depth of the evil within ourselves; because, like Saint Paul, we have experienced the warrings of the flesh and the spirit, and have discovered in ourselves the marks of original sin – our inclination towards evil and the weakness of our will.

… To be merciful is to feel, to the point of anguish, the sins of the world, and to seek some understanding of all that is implied in the sins accumulated by generations of men against Divine Law, against social justice, against charity; of all the evils occasioned by the sins of every day, of every night, of every hour…To know the richness of mercy is to share in the dispositions of the Heart of our Redeemer by experiencing in ourselves something of the shuddering horror at the vision of the sins of the world which filled his heart.

Bishop Guerry (+1969) was the archbishop of Cambrai, France and a spiritual author.

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The Addict, the Loser, Cousin Joe, Aunt Sue ...

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Luke 6:37

One of the ways in which we carry out the age-old human temptation to "become like gods" is to appoint ourselves judges of others. We even judge how things exist and how things should be done. Yet our judgments are inevitably flawed by our own "poverty" and selfishness. It is better to leave all judging to God as Luke tells us in today's Scripture reading. In our own frailty, it is not up to us to judge the homeless, the addict, the loser, cousin Joe, aunt Sue, a co-worker or anyone else we think is a loser. Our mission is not to judge, but to offer mercy, charity and kindness to all. "Blessed are the merciful, they shall obtain mercy."

Please scroll down and plot out your city on the Homeless In America People of Mercy and Compassion Map!

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Painful Mix for the Poor in 2008

Driven by a painful mix of layoffs and rising food and fuel prices, the total number of working poor, the underemployed and unemployed that will receive food stamps is projected to reach 28 million in 2008, the highest level since the aid program began in the 1960s. "Average family incomes of the bottom fifth of the population have been stagnant or declined in recent years at levels around $15,500," said Jared Bernstein, economist at the Economic Policy Institute. Homelessness has become an increasing reality for many of these people.

Because they spend a higher share of their income on the basics like food and fuel, low-income Americans have been hit hard by soaring gasoline and heating costs and jumps in the prices of staples such as milk, eggs and bread. Thus, the number of food stamp recipients is growing due to a recession combined with a rapid increase in these basic consumer goods. For decades, the annual growth percent for essential needs was about 2.5%. In 2008, basic goods will increase nearly 5% in a growing recession economy, loss of jobs and fuel prices that have greatly raised the prices of practically everything.

In regards to the poor and the ever-increasing gas prices, USA Today recently reported, "Higher gas prices are likely to impact low-income workers more because they are less capable of making adjustments," says Qing Shen, professor of urban studies and planning at the University of Maryland at College Park.

The impact of the recent run-up could be long-lasting. To help pay elevated gasoline bills, low-income drivers often take out payday and other high-interest loans or put gas and other expenses on high-rate credit cards. Such debt can take a long time to pay off. "This is a vicious cycle," Sandoval says. "Once they get in it, they can't get out" says Juan Onésimo Sandoval, assistant professor of urban transportation and urban sociology at Northwestern University.
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More on the Internet
http://www.usatoday.com/
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Tuesday Morning Thanksgiving and Praise Blog VI

I will sing of your steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music. Psalm 101:1

Welcome in! Our Tuesday Morning Thanksgiving & Praise Blog is dedicated to give thanks and praise to the Lord for all the mighty works he is doing for all of us who are praying for the “poor”, abandoned and crushed in our lives - including ourselves. Peruse yesterday's Monday Morning Prayer Request Blog and one can get a strong sense of the needs out there. No doubt, God is moving and hearing our prayers!

What has God been doing in your life this past week, month, day, year and in this past minute? What prayers has he answered? What is Jesus doing in your life? How can we ever say “thank you” enough? Post a “thank you” blog to the Lord that gets mailed direct to heaven’s door. Whatever you write will be printed and presented each day at one hour Adoration for the rest of the week!

Pass it on! Let others know that even though we are often too busy, we’re never to busy to say “thank you” for all he has done for us. Come back next Tuesday or any time in the week to post new prayers of thanksgiving and praise. Return Monday or any day and post your intentions at Monday Morning Prayer Request Blog.

Here is how to post thanksgiving and praise:
1. Click on COMMENT at the bottom of this post.
2. Click the circle Anonymous at the bottom of the page.
3. Type your thanksgiving and praise in the box at the top.
4. Use your first name or initials at the end of what you wrote.
5. Visually check your spelling (no spell check)
6. Fill in the wavy letters in the security box.
7. Click on publish and send it to heaven’s door.
8. Giving thanksgiving and praise is the sign of a humble heart!
______

VOTE - Scroll down & vote in the polls.
COMMENT - Daily insights, prayers, thanksgiving & praise.
SUBSCRIBE! -Top, right column.
POST - Your location below at People of Mercy & Compassion Map.
INVITE - Friends and family to Subscribe!
http://www.homelessinamerica.blogspot.com/