from "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Clairborne

". . .When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop Dom Helder Camara: 'When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist.' Charity wins awards and applause, but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for charity. People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts the social order, that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them. . ."

". . .For Jesus did not seek out the rich and powerful in order to 'trickle down' His kingdom. Rather, He joined those at the bottom, the outcasts and undesirables, and everyone was attracted to His love for people on the margins. (We know that all are poor and lonely anyway, don't we?). . . "

Peace!