Thought for the Day

Better and Better Off

by Peter Maurin

The world would be better off  if people tried to become better.

And people would become better if they stopped trying to become better off.

For when everybody tries to  become better off,  nobody is better off.

But when everybody tries to become better, everybody is better off.

Everybody would be rich if nobody tried to become richer.

And nobody would be poor if everybody tried to be the poorest.

And everybody would be what he ought to be if everybody tried to be what he wants the other fellow to be.

Christianity has nothing to do with either modern capitalism or modern Communism

for Christianity has a capitalism of its own.

Modern capitalism is based on property without responsibility,

while Christian capitalism is based on property with responsibility.

Modern Communism is based on poverty through force

while Christian communism is based on poverty through choice.

For a Christian, voluntary poverty is the ideal as exemplified by St. Francis of Assisi.

while private property is not an absolute right, but a gift which as such can not be wasted,

but must be administered for the benefit of God’s children.