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Slavery is a dark blot that stains the history of many societies and cultures. Today we read of Joseph, who in the calamity of being sold into slavery by his own brothers, echoes the fate of all too many people throughout human history. What we decry in history, however, remains a deadly reality -- in the Sudan, African Christians of a different ethnic group from the governing Islamic majority are targets of violence and exploitation for slavery -- in southeast Asia, children are sold to supply the popular sex tourism trade -- wherever there are desparate people in the third and fourth worlds, unscrupulous first world transnational corporations pay substandard wages and use violence and threats of intimidation as management tools.
Nor have we improved much on our treatment of prophets who are among us today. Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador was murdered while saying Mass, the Precious Blood of Christ mingling with the blood flowing from his wounds. Fr. Stanley Rother of Oklahoma was murdered in Guatemala. Seven Adorers of the Blood of Christ witnessed of their Faith with their own lives in Liberia.
Many of the rich hated Jesus, but the "crowds" -- that is, the poor -- loved him. The
discernment of the Church of the Poor is important. We ignore it to our own spiritual peril.
+ For all people, that we will have eyes to see, and ears to hear, the prophets who are among us
today.
+ Pick up some trash in a public place and dispose of it properly.
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