you will always have with you

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Mark 14:1-21. Jesus tells us very clearly, "The poor you will always have with you." And why is that?

Well, unfortunately it's because there's another thing Jesus could have said that goes with it, as a logical corollary. "Greed you will always have with you." As long as people are greedy, people will be poor. The world contains the resources for everyone to have what they need. But people are greedy, and take more than their share... which causes others to be poor. It's been happening for so long that those of us with lots aren't necessarily the greedy ones... but that doesn't mean we don't have an obligation to help spread things out more evenly. That's why we're taught things like, "If you have two coats, give one to the poor," and "What you do for the least of these, you do for Me."

What can you do today to help the poor? How can we fight the nasty head of greed that rears itself every time we think of giving?

God, please show us how.