![\"\"](\"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/chiapas-home-with-a-view.jpg\" "\\"Chiapas")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen I had to readjust to life in the USA\u00a0upon my return, all of that new social and economic awareness made things as ordinary and American as going shopping into ugly, uncomfortable activities.\u00a0 I felt ashamed to feel rich even though I had to work three jobs in order to pay my tuition and buy books and food.\u00a0 Really, the questions and struggles of reverse-culture shock changed me more than living abroad in a foreign land had.<\/p>\n
The questions consumed me.\u00a0 What are we supposed to do so that everyone<\/em> in this world can have enough to live healthy and productive lives? I didn’t want anyone to be left out nor anyone to die from hunger while others ate too much and threw away\u00a0food.\u00a0 I wanted the rich\u00a0to share their wealth with the poor.\u00a0 I didn’t know where to look for a way to do this.\u00a0 Church didn’t seem to be helping.\u00a0 I began to wonder if Catholic Christianity would work for me anymore.<\/p>\n With these questions stirring flames in my heart, I went back to class at my small, liberal arts college<\/a> in Iowa.\u00a0 I was registered for a class called “God, Catholicism and Capitalism” as part of the general education requirements at the school.\u00a0 For homework, I had to read this Church document<\/a>, Economic Justice for All.\u00a0 <\/em>I fell in love.\u00a0 Soon after, I learned about all of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching<\/a>.\u00a0 My love grew.\u00a0 I studied the Gospel and realized I loved everything Jesus taught.\u00a0 Then I fell in love with sacraments, devotions and the lives of the saints. All because of the economics of love, I fell in love with the Catholic Church and Jesus some more.<\/p>\n It is still quite clear to me that if we really heeded the economics of love and equality that Jesus taught- and the Church leaders echo- then injustice would cease.\u00a0 The reign of God shall be, heaven would be on earth.<\/p>\n Now, 10 years later, after great global economic crisis, I am no longer a wierd-o for having doubts about capitalism.\u00a0 The mainstream news\u00a0 and popular social action is filled with many who also wonder if capitalism is truly the most fair system.\u00a0 No matter your point of view, I think you’ll agree that capitalism isn’t working!\u00a0 And, it definitely doesn’t fit with the Gospel.\u00a0 Occupy Wall Street, Chicago, Oakland and Occupy Everywhere challenge us to do what is right and share with the needy.\u00a0 The time to change things is a little overdue, but when it come to love and justice, it’s better late than never.<\/p>\n The Church is wise. She noticed that people were speaking up on behalf of justice and she reminded them<\/a> what she said long ago. Be a community. Share and use only what you need:<\/p>\n The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.<\/em> – Acts 4: 32-3 <\/a><\/p>\n So, naturally, then I am very excited about the Occupy movement. Faith and hope is at its heart and it has to be.\u00a0 Principles of justice come right out of my religion.\u00a0 God is with this (I recommend this video <\/a>from PBS.org).<\/p>\n The Occupation movements are important history that we cannot ignore: here<\/a> is good account of it.\u00a0 Creative non-violence and social action is what shifts paradigms and change history. The answers to the great questions of how to create systems of justice are found right in the heart of God.<\/p>\n So, here’s my cry:\u00a0 the Christian economy is an economy of love!\u00a0 Christians, raise your hands and fall to your knees. Pray for peace and justice and blessings upon occupy the movement.\u00a0 Get involved as much as you can. And, do whatever it takes to help heaven be on earth.\u00a0\u00a0 The poor are counting on you and Jesus is too.<\/p>\n You don’t have to camp in the cold with the occupiers to work for an economy of love.\u00a0 Here’s a few other action options<\/span>:<\/p>\n Join and participate in the Catholic NETWORK “Mind the Gap” Campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read, study and pray about how you and your church can support the occupiers<\/a> and all who work for justice.<\/p>\n Thank you, God bless you and God bless the 100%!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When I was 20 I studied abroad in South Africa. When I came home, I was a bit of a mess. I was angry about the drastic economic inequality that I encountered in Southern Africa during my\u00a0six months away.\u00a0 Something felt horribly wrong about how people could live in a secure mansion while the people...","protected":false},"author":4071079,"featured_media":1870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2528],"tags":[698755373,6722,773585,4256,1334540,698755374,657,7816,8329,2606,3785,65270202,61378371,398,853,116,1325450,6231],"series":[698756626],"class_list":["post-1811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-action","tag-activism","tag-catholic-social-teaching","tag-catholicism","tag-chuch","tag-community","tag-economics","tag-god","tag-jesus","tag-justice","tag-love","tag-occupy-chicago","tag-occupy-wall-street","tag-politics","tag-prayer","tag-religion","tag-reverse-culture-shock","tag-south-africa","series-messy-jesus-business"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/chiapas-home-with-a-view.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/feed\/podcast\/messy-jesus-business","embedCode":"an economy of love<\/a><\/blockquote>