This is a book that asks some ancient questions: Why do some people have much, while others have so little? And what are those with much supposed to do for those with little? These are questions that need asking. Every person who is seriously interested in spiritual practice must face them, sometimes every day of the year.
Magill explores the dilemma well, in ways that are geared toward Christians, and for Christians to reflect on during the season of Lent — which begins this year in the middle of February.
Teachings of Jesus frame the dialogue, particularly from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 25, when Jesus says that believers will be judged someday according to how much or how often they responded when he was in need. Then, Jesus imagines being asked by those who say they are “righteous”:
“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” And Jesus replies: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
There it is. And yet, wealth is easily rationalized, and easily hoarded and justified, by Christians. Magill wants to get them talking about this and how to overcome it in order to create a kind of justice that resembles what the same Gospel talks about as the “kingdom of God.”
She uses her own life and examples from her work in Christian ministry in New England along the way. “I started life poor. My dad worked at the shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia,” are the opening sentences of one of the chapters.
Liberation theology comes into play, as does a reconsideration of what it means to be poor — or wealthy, or middle class. What we often shelve as too “political” considerations, such as the causes of poverty, government support for the wealthy, and the idea of redistributing wealth, are thoughtfully reconsidered too.
For those who are willing to enter into these conversations with themselves, or in a group with others, this is a very useful tool of a book.
