A hunger for justice

I really cannot believe this, but I'm doing this: reading a book that too on the eve of the SPCSA meeting in the Provincial house. With all the preparations being done and to be done, here I am reading a book on Globalisation and justice. Only proves what Raphael (my assistant in Yercaud) used to say, "Only a busy man will find time to do more! Give a lazy man something to do and he never finds time!" Anyway, just to say, I'm busy!!

But here's a very provocative prayer that I found in the afterword (written by Theodore M. Hesburgh) of the book Globalisation, Spirituality and Justice: Navigating the Path to Peace by Daniel G. Groody:

Give bread to those who hunger, and to those who have bread, give them a hunger for justice.

I think this is a very genuine and realistic prayer. Most often we expect those oppressed to fight and reclaim their lives, but we fail to see that much before dignity, respect, honour, glory, fame, pride, the people need food to survive. Without addressing the basic need of hunger, it is difficult to 'empower' them to fight for dignity. This is where we need to stand by them. Even to the crowds that followed Jesus, He fed them. He did not preach to them long on empty stomachs! He knew the close link between the stomach and the heart/head.