Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from November 13, 2005
"Let her works
praise her at the city gates" Proverbs 31:31
THE WORTHY WIFE NOT only displays household skills, she is also involved in the affairs of the city. For far too long the church's cultural understanding of gender roles has served to repress women and their talents.
Fear is the other great inhibitor. "Out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground."
Fear allows us to be patronizing of the capacities of others.
We protect people and insure their ongoing dependency.
The upcoming Feast of Christ the King is a wake up call to assume responsibility.
Next Sunday the US Catholic Church promotes the Campaign for Human Development. Services to the poor such as those provided by Catholic Charities are needed. However service alone can continue dependency. The focus of CHD is self-reliance, self-help and the community empowerment of poor people. The Gates of Arlington is a demonstration of the value of community organizing. Renters would have been displaced in greater numbers had not Bravo, an organization funded by CHD, served to give our lower income neighbors a voice.
"She reaches out her arms to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy."
Let us not be inhibited and fearful. Let us be generous of our talent and resources for He comes to take our account.