Drawing Near to the Poor–Sweet Tweets for 12/05/14

What do you think of when you hear the word “poor”?

I was praying about this when I read Pope Francis’ tweet from earlier this week. In it, he challenged me, “the Church is called to draw near to every person, beginning with the poorest and those who suffer.”

I was praying about it when I read on Facebook about a pastor who had impersonated a homeless man, and when I read a clarification of that story on Snopes. I asked myself why it is so easy to hit “like” on an inspirational post on Facebook and then drive past a homeless person in my community without even a glance in their direction.

Then I asked myself about the people I know who are “poor” but have four walls around them and a roof over their head. The addicts, those trapped in abusive marriages or struggling just to keep their checkbook balanced every month. I was starting to feel a major sense of anxiety come on, when suddenly I re-read the tweet.

The papal tweet doesn’t say, “Solve poverty, Lisa”. It invites me, as a member of the Body of Christ, to “draw near to the poor”.

…to acknowledge

…to pray for

…to serve

…to love

That’s my homework. To draw near.

I’m grateful to my friend John Clem, O.F.S. for this week’s Sweet Tweets:
Sweet Tweets December 5th, 2014

• Papal Tweet:  “The Church is called to draw near to every person, beginning with the poorest and those who suffer.” (Pope Francis Dec. 2nd)
• Bishops, Others Applaud Obama Plan on Immigrants | America Magazine ow.ly/EFZQJ
• Cardinal Sean O’Malley Applauds Obama’s Immigration Plan (CBS Boston) ow.ly/EL9X7
• Bill Murray On 18th Century Saints, Pope John XXIII, & The Latin Mass (uCatholic) ow.ly/EG32g
• Mother of autistic child: Let’s focus on the ability, not the disabilities of autism (Rome Reports) ow.ly/EG4gs
• Pope: break down the stigma burdening those with autism :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) ow.ly/ELule
• 10 Things Pope Francis Should Do in Philly | (Fr. James Martin – America Magazine) ow.ly/EGLpT
• Video: If Jesus Is the King, Then You’re Not | (Christopher Stefanick – ChurchPOP) ow.ly/EKm1Y
• Five myths about Pope Francis (The Washington Post) ow.ly/EKmWH
• Online For Life: Using technology to save lives (Rome Reports) ow.ly/EKnzK
• Paralyzed Vet Surprises Bride With First Dance (GodVine) ow.ly/EKocv
• Capuchin Cafe – a new ministry of Capuchin College & Friary | Call To Holiness ow.ly/ELgLZ
• Bishops Endorse Ex-Episcopalian and Champion of the Poor Fr. Paul Wattson for Sainthood – Aleteia ow.ly/ELqWc
• Why the Crackdown? Christians Now Outnumber Communists in China (Aleteia) ow.ly/ENgc9
• For The New CDW (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) -Whispers in the Loggia ow.ly/EOlfX
• The Loneliest Choice – Puzzling through suicide’s sorrowful mystery (America Magazine) ow.ly/EOmk9
• The Ebola panic’s spiritual roots – Monsignor Robert Vitello, health advisor Caritas Internationalis (CNS) ow.ly/EP5Fh
• Pope to Europe: Get your social and spiritual house in order (John Allen – Crux) ow.ly/ERqQ1
• Pope Francis: Address to European Parliament – Full Text (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/EU6Mn
• Short Papal Visit to Strasbourg is full of Color (Rome Reports) ow.ly/ERrWr
• Care for Creation:  Renew This World | America Magazine ow.ly/ERsow
• Archbishop Carlson responds to Grand Jury decision in Ferguson (Archdiocese of St. Louis) ow.ly/ERPy7
• Police officer leans on Catholic faith during Ferguson crisis (CNS) ow.ly/FekLL
• Priest sees Ferguson as ground zero where change can be made in society | (CNS) ow.ly/Fnmzd
• Thank God for the Little, Mysterious Pleasure of Yawning! « Archdiocese of Washington ow.ly/EU5LB
• Tech Tip — NEW App soon to be released iOS & Android: Catholic Words & Games ow.ly/ERM9x
• 5 Tips on Prayer with St. Thomas Aquinas | Dominicana Blog ow.ly/FdWfJ
• America Loves Catholicism: As Seen in Place Names Everywhere « Archdiocese of Washington ow.ly/ERN2y
• CNS STORY: First world day against human trafficking set for February 8th ow.ly/EW1tU
• Rick Warren on Catholicism (CNS) ow.ly/EW4c3
• Music Video: Matt Maher – Because He Lives (Amen) – YouTube ow.ly/EPM2a
• Children’s book takes kids on an adventure in Assisi (Rome Reports) ow.ly/ERGer
• As we prepare for Advent: Evangomercial from Catholics Come Home — keeping Christ in Christmas. vimeo.com/102679231
• Holy Father’s calendar for December 2014 and January 2015 (News.va) ow.ly/EZk7y
• Infographic: Pope Francis’ visit to Turkey (Nov. 28 – 30) – Vatican Information Service ow.ly/i/7JZg9
• Pope Francis: Interreligious dialogue can help end forms of fundamentalism (News.va) ow.ly/F28mP
• Pope Francis becomes the fourth Pope to visit the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (Rome Reports) ow.ly/F4lnw
• Pope Francis & Patriarch Bartholomew sign joint declaration (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/F5Rgy
• Worth a thousand words: “Peter and Andrew” (Deacon Greg Kandra – Patheos) ow.ly/F69CL
• Pope Francis’ Turkey Voyage One of Peace & Reconciliation | (NCRegister) ow.ly/F9TXE
• Pope reflects on his recent trip to Turkey (Rome Reports) ow.ly/FhvUk
• Turkish Muslims ‘deeply appreciated’ papal visit :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) ow.ly/FnWIR
• Young Syrian refugee tells Pope, ‘pray for us and pray for peace’ :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) ow.ly/FbkaP
• ‘Dire situation’: WFP cuts food vouchers for Syrian refugees (CNS Blog) ow.ly/FbjQH
• World’s faith leaders sign up to stamp out modern slavery (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/Fei1R
• Children of St. Gianna scheduled to attend festivities (OSV) ow.ly/F7kvg
• 35th Anniversary in naming of St. Francis of Assisi as patron saint of Ecology – Franciscans for Ecology ow.ly/F9cpU
• Pope issues letter for Year of Consecrated Life Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/F4lHb
• Presentation of the Logo for the Year of Consecrated Life – Consecrated Life in today’s Church (Vatican) ow.ly/F4E9y
• Mystics of the Church: Miraculous story of Claude Newman & his conversion through the intercession of the Virgin Mary ow.ly/EZHiU
• Cyber-Shopping: 10 Great Christmas Gifts from Monks and Nuns – Aleteia ow.ly/EVpY1
• BEST Gouda Chesse from Cistercian Sisters at Our Lady of the Angels Monstery in Crozet, Virginia — please support ow.ly/EVDg5
• Music Flashback: The Mass in F Minor (Jan. 1968) by The Electric Prunes ow.ly/ENd1i
• Catch of the day: what one fisherman found in the bottom of a Maryland lake is miraculous (Deacon Greg Kandra) ow.ly/EW0yG
• NEW TV Show: The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns Tues. 10pm ET (Lifetime.com) ow.ly/F4F0m
• Jesus & Apostles Mainstream: Official Trailer: A.D. the Series – Coming to NBC – Easter 2015 ow.ly/F9FHC
• Faithful hold vigil for climate change at UN Summit in Lima, Peru (CNS) ow.ly/Fc494
• Great resource for Advent & Christmas: Find the Perfect Gift (Archdiocese of Washington) ow.ly/F1Z5T
• Largest Franciscan church & resting place of 3rd Order Franciscan Michelangelo using Kickstarter (CNS Blog) ow.ly/F9qh3
• The Unknown Catholic Genocide: War of the Vendée (Regina Magazine) ow.ly/FeU6C
• Prayers needed: American Atheists launch provocative campaign in religious Deep South (The Telegraph) ow.ly/Feuqr
• Good Times for Dogs, Not So Good for Babies – A Reflection on the Perversity of Modern Culture (Msgr. Charles Pope) ow.ly/FfHet
• ‘Holy freedom’ as one united family: the World Meeting of Families hymn :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) ow.ly/FexqO
• Brilliant! Random Acts of Pasta – resourcefulness using Olive Garden to feed the homeless ow.ly/FfKUO
• Official Video: Silent Night (Live) – Pentatonix – YouTube ow.ly/F55P4
• O Come, Emmanuel – (Piano/Cello) – ThePianoGuys – YouTube ow.ly/FgweH
• Advent Conspiracy – Christmas can still change the world ow.ly/F2bEE
• Advent Calendar & Resources from USCCB ow.ly/F5S1N
• Advent wreath — history & meaning (Rome Reports) ow.ly/F9hrj
• The Power of St. Nicholas (Part 1) Dutch with subtitles (Fr. Roderick Vonhogen – trideo) ow.ly/FhvkJ
• Pope Francis: A Guide to God’s Time (Cindy Wooden & Paul Haring – CNS) ow.ly/Fj58c
• Who is Isaiah and why is his central message so critical today? « Archdiocese of Washington ow.ly/FhyLO
• Video: Unity sought at Israel tree lighting (CNS) ow.ly/Fgtmf
• Silent Voices | Peter J. Leithart | First Things ow.ly/Fnlgu
• Satire: Pope Francis Attends Outdoor Mass In Cutoff Denim Vestments (The Onion) ow.ly/FfCzP
• #Amazing #Giveaway for Subscribers to AmazingCatechists.com (Lisa Mladinich – Patheos) ow.ly/FhxcI
• Brooklyn launches hip new ad campaign for Christmas (Deacon Greg Kandra – Patheos) ow.ly/FhJQP
• Vatican conference to show Haiti ‘not forgotten’ after quake (CNS) ow.ly/Fow9U
• 50 Photographs that Shout Loud and Clear that Life Does Not End with a… | (Catholic Link) ow.ly/FknlK
• Poetry on God: YHWHproject.org Words by Sh’maya on Vimeo ow.ly/FnH3A
• Catholic Cuisine: Recipes for December ~ Month Dedicated to the Divine Infancy ow.ly/EMHUX
• Weary Souls Rejoice! (Elizabeth Tichvon – Catholic365.com) ow.ly/Fkero
• Advent Meditation (Lisa Martinez – Closed Doors Open Windows) ow.ly/FkfKM
• St. Francis and Christmas (Barbara Beckwith – OSV) ow.ly/Fj82m
• Music Video: Prayers for peace needed in many places -Beautiful version of Prayer of St. Francis (Sarah McLachlan) – ow.ly/FkseD
• A Christmas Version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah- (Fadi peter) ow.ly/FouIB
• The feel-good video of the season, from those generous blue elves at WestJet (Deacon Greg Kandra) ow.ly/FgxCH
• Video: Priesthood (Christopher Stefanick) ow.ly/FkwoV
• Satire: Pope’s New Crossgaurd Lightsaber Crosier Stirring Up Controversy With Liturgical Purists (Eye of the Tiber) ow.ly/FkbTe
• QUIZ: Which Nativity Character Are You? (ChurchPOP) ow.ly/FlXav
• Mary’s impact on full display – National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC (CNS) ow.ly/FovpM
• Win a trip to the March for Life in Washington DC (March for Life) ow.ly/FoPXq
• Advent and the Drama of Light and Darkness. « Archdiocese of Washington ow.ly/FoO0B
• St. Nicholas Center ::: Discovering the Truth About Santa Claus (Feast of St. Nicholas Dec. 6th) ow.ly/FmiCt
• St. Peter’s Basilica Used to Be Lit with Thousands of Candles Every Christmas | ChurchPOP ow.ly/Fmmni
• We need your support! Please help fund Greater Good Technology Indiegogo campaign ow.ly/F9VLs until Christmas
• Pope Francis: the role of women in theology (News.va) ow.ly/Fq5cz
• OFFICIAL HYMN for Year of the Consecrated Life: Wake the world with dawning joy – (Steven Warner composer) ow.ly/Fq4m0

John Clem, O.F.S is the Director and Media Minister at Catholic Web Services (http://catholicws.com/). John is a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order, and loves to share his talents in faith, technology, and journalism in service to the church.  John also writes a blog entitled Call To Holiness  (http://www.calltoholiness.us/). Follow John on Twitter at @Catholicwebs, on Facebook and at Google+.