Sweetness of Holy Charity

By Fr. Francois-Louis de Blois

All men, without any exception whatever, he must sincerely love as himself; that is, he must love them spiritually and in right order, desiring for them the grace of God and everlasting happiness. And that he may find it easier truly to love others, he should look upon every man as himself, because capable of divine union. He should look upon all as brothers and sisters, called to the same happiness as himself. He should consider in them, not the lowliness of their external persons, but the nobility and beauty of their invisible souls, made after the image of God.

He should sympathize with all who are in necessity, trial or misfortune. He should be ready to benefit, help and console all, without exception, but particularly those who are oppressed to him and persecute him. He must treat the imperfections of others with kind and merciful forbearance, healing and correcting any little bitterness he may feel in his heart with the sweetness of holy charity. But on the other hand, sins which he ought to correct and reprove he should not feign not to see, but the correction and reproof should be mingled with mildness and fitting gentleness. Sin must be hated in man, but not the man on account of the sin: for God made the man, but man, not God did the sin … Therefore, must the servant of God embrace everyone with kindliness of charity. He should grieve over the faults of others, and rejoice at their virtues, giving thanks to God; and this he cannot but do if he looks upon everyone, as himself.

Fr. Francois-Louis de Blois was the abbot of the Benedictine Abbey in Liessies, France and he died there in 1566.

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Please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America's Thanksgiving StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Halloween Day Homeless StreetReach in Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words . . .

God bless everyone that donated to Halloween StreetReach online!

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Please plan today to take a moment and donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy Thanksgiving StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Does God Want us to be Concerned About the Poor?

Deut. 26:5-9. The Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders; and He has brought us to... this land flowing with milk and honey.

Luke 4:16-21. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read... "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD... Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Ps. 140:12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor.

Is. 25:4. For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress.

Ps. 10:14. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan... O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed.

Is 41:17. The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them Myself, as the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

Luke 6:20-21. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

James 2:5. Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

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Please take a moment to donate online to Homeless in America's Thanksgiving StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

More About Winners and Losers ...

The Winners List

What do they all have in common? Jesse Owens, Olga Korbut, Cathy Rigby, Nadia Comaneci, Bruce Jenner, Mark Spitz, Mary Lou Retton, Greg Louganis, Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Flemming, Florence Joiner, Carl Lewis, Brian Boitano, George Forman, Dan Jansen, Babe Ruth, Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron, Willy Mays, Nolan Ryan, Roger Staubach, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Dr. J., Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Karem Abdul, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Byrd, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, David Eisenhower, George Patton, Norman Scharzkoph, Lee Iacocca, Andrew Carnegie, The Rockefellers, Sam Walton, Dave Thomas, Norman Vincent Peale, Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, Barbra Streisand, Clark Gable. What do these people have in common? They're all WINNERS! We all love WINNERS, don’t we?

Can we think of any famous LOSERS? Of course not! But who are God's winners and losers?

According to the Bible, a real WINNER is someone who is willing to LOSE themselves in service to God and man. (cf. Matthew 20:25-28)

The one who loses his or her pride, stubbornness, independence, self-reliance, selfishness, self-centeredness and gives up to God will WIN! (cf. I Corinthians 9:23-27 and Philippians 1:21 & 3:4-9)

If you really want to WIN in this life, you have to LOSE your life to find it. Whoever loses his life will gain eternal life. LOSE the idea that you can make it on your own. LOSE your pride and your arrogance and give your life totally to God. Like Christ, team up with the broken, humble, homeless and lost – then empty yourself with He who emptied himself. He left heaven and became poor for our sakes. Now He asks us to go and do the same.
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The Glare of Camera Flashes

Some of the rich, proud, powerful and the famous seem to be spared of all the human ills despite their apparent disregard for God. They don't suffer like the poor and the homeless. In the glare of camera flashes, their problems seem to be unreal as they live in the glitter of starlight. The public idolizes and imitates them. It all looks so sexy, so appealing. Why not? The Psalmist wrestles with the same problem as old as ancient Israel and yet as modern as today's tabloids.

Psalm 73

I saw that proud and sinful people were doing well.
And I began to long for what they had.
They don't have any troubles.
Their bodies are healthy and strong.

They don't have the problems others have.
They don't suffer as other people do.
Their pride is like a necklace.
They put on meanness as if it were their clothes.

Many sins come out of their hard and stubborn hearts.
There is no limit to their proud and evil thoughts.
They laugh at others and speak words of hatred.
They are proud. They warn others about the harm they can do to them.

They brag as if they owned heaven itself.
They talk as if they controlled the earth.
So people listen to them.
They lap up their words like water.

They say, "How can God know what we're doing?
Does the Most High God really know that much?"
Here is what sinful people are like.
They don't have a care in the world. They keep getting richer and richer. Psalm 73:3-12
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Please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America’s Halloween StreetReach for those homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of homeless we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Though He be not Clean as Holiness Requires ...

St. Teresa of Avila once mused, “I really don’t see anything in the world that pleases me other than its intolerance of faults in the good, forcing them to be perfect through its criticisms.”

David lamented a similar thought, but thousands of years earlier. Speaking to Gad he said, “I am in dire straits. But I prefer to fall into the hand of the Lord, whose mercy is very great, than into the hands of men.” (1 Chr. 21:13)

Ultimately, the poor, the homeless, the unclean and losers of this life can have solace in the fact that the Lord’s mercy is infinitely greater than the tiresome unkind judgments shown by men here on earth. Our comfort is in the Lord of endless mercy.

“May the Lord, who is good, grant pardon to everyone who has resolved to seek God, the Lord, the God of His fathers, though he be not clean as holiness requires.” (2 Chr. 30:18-19)
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Please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America’s Halloween StreetReach for those homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of homeless we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

"Homeless Gwen" by Mattel

The American Girl line of dolls coveted by many American little ones, now includes a doll named Gwen (photo, a tabloid knockoff) that’s based on a character that is homeless. Created by longstanding manufacturer Mattel, Gwen has come under serious fire because, as some put it, it sends the wrong message to children playing with it, leaving aside the fact that it shamelessly capitalizes on a very painful and ever-present issue, that of homeless children, The Telegraph reports.

Gwen’s story is a tragic one: she lives with her mother in a car, after her father abandons them and they are left with no means to sustain themselves. Now, Mattel and American Girl have taken this story and this particular character and are making money off it in the most shameless manner. The homeless doll is priced at a whopping $95, which means that no homeless, little girl will ever be able to afford it, and, what’s even sadder, it’s not even used to raise some sort of awareness on the issue of homeless children, critics say.

“What message is being sent with Gwen?” said New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser. "For starters, men are bad. Fathers abandon women without cause. She’s also telling me that women are helpless." The dolls send the wrong message to children, argued Tanya Tull, president of Beyond Shelter. She said "she was afraid that they’re going to pick up the idea that it’s OK, that it’s an accepted segment of society that some children are homeless and some children are not." The Telegraph writes, summing up some of what Gwen’s critics say.
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy Halloween StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 100s of Homeless In America we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Divided Across Two Worlds: At the End of Time, What happens to the Losers?

The Arrogant Winners of the World will become Eternal Losers …
1. They are shown no mercy upon their death.
2. They are cast into hell.
3. They share in the resurrection and receive a body to share the pains of hell.
4. They will share the tortures of hell with Satan and his fallen angels.
5. They will experience unending pain and anxiety.
6. They will long for relief from the darkness and it will never come.
7. They will hurt, consume and suffer each other they way they did on earth.
8. Parched, they will long for a draught of cold water.
9. Confusion will be never-ending.
10. Satan will rule.

The Humble Losers of the World will become God’s Eternal Winners …
1. They are shown mercy upon their death.
2. They enter into a heavenly home.
3. They share in the resurrection and receive a glorified body.
4. They will share a new heaven and a new earth with the saints and the angels.
5. They will experience unending joy and peace.
6. They will long for nothing and God Himself will be their light.
7. They will help, share and build each other up as they did on earth.
8. They will receive a special draught from the fountain of God’s grace.
9. Peace will reign.
10.God will rule.

Welcome to the kingdom of God where Jesus is broken, abandoned, crucified and resurrected and where the rich and powerful - people like Roman governors, priests, Scribes and Pharisees rule – where up is down and down is up. “He has lifted up the lowly … The rich He has sent away empty … He has scattered the proud in their conceit … And holy is His name.” (cf. Luke 1:52)
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy Halloween StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 100s of Homeless In America we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Divided Across Two Worlds, Who are the Winners and Losers?

The Winners of this World
1. The sleek
2. The proud
3. The powerful
4. The wealthy
5. The strong
6. The smart
7. The gifted
8. The rulers
9. The controllers
10.The self-centered

The Winners of God’s World
1. The broken
2. The contrite
3. The humble
4. The lowly
5. The empty
6. The poor
7. The weak
8. The unintelligent
9. The servants
10.The abandoned

Welcome to the kingdom of God where Jesus is homeless, broken, abandoned and crucified while the rich live in mansions and the powerful rule – where up is down and down is up. “He has lifted up the lowly … The rich He has sent away empty … He has scattered the proud in their conceit … And holy is His name.” (cf. Luke 1:52)
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy Halloween StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 100s of Homeless In America we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

“Please Don’t See”

by Michael Towers

A poem he wrote about his first night living homeless on the streets and all the fear flooding through and for the first time in life realizing how truly vulnerable we all are.

“Please Don’t See”

The headlights blinding, the noise so clear,
Clinging to the blades, grass scratches my face,
Hiding from the shame, of being myself,
Sink into the ground, please don’t see.

The lights now blind, sounds move past,
A heartbeat races, danger so immediate,
Another car comes, Illuminating failure,
Sink into the ground, please don’t see.

Sleep not an option, fear too close,
Beneath the branches, harbouring a child,
People scream, they walk the street,
Sink into the ground, please don’t see.

Heart skips beats, tears abandon ducts,
Trickling down, clinging to the blades,
Laughter is sounded, masses rush by,
Sink into the ground, please don’t see.

Morning coming through, safety so near,
Never believing, the other side of night,
They will come, and surely judge,
Sink into the ground, please don’t see.

Walking on, as if I’m non-existent,
Never acknowledged, truly abandoned,
Trapped in my shell, to be ignored,
Sink into the ground, please don’t see.

I cry today, for a different moment,
Praying for a life, more than this,
Knowing there’s something, elsewhere to be,
Reasons I’m here, questions not asked.

This feels like forever, an endless dream,
But all dreams end, a chance again,
One day I promise, there’ll be a way,
I’ll rise off the ground, for people to see.
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy Halloween StreetReach for homeless living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $125 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 100s of Homeless In America we serve. Kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless