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Jesus Falls the First Time
Minister: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by
your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
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So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross
by himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, In
Hebrew, Golgotha (Jn 19:16-17).
After withdrawing about a stone's throw from
them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, take
this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done" (Lk
22:41-42). |
Jesus Is Still Falling: There are 51,000 Long Island children without
health insurance. Too often, parents forgo treatment for their sick children
because they can't afford to pay the doctor. These uninsured children miss
school; they sometimes develop chronic illnesses. Early in life, they fall
because they are carrying a cross by themselves. For example, desperate Hispanic
parents took their six-year old to a local hospital Emergency Room because he
was running a high fever. Since both mother and father work, they earn too much
to qualify for Medicaid, which is government health insurance for the poor.
Without health insurance, they had to rely on expensive Emergency Room care for
their son. The ER staff treated their boy and prescribed an antibiotic to fight
his infection. But, the parents did not have the money to pay for the
prescription. They turned to St. Ignatius Parish Outreach in Hicksville which
gave them cash for the prescription and an application for Child Health Plus,
the state's health insurance program for uninsured children. Hopefully now, this
child will not fall deeper into untreated illness.
Our Response to Christ's Suffering
All: Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps. Lord, grant us your sense of
righteousness to demand that no child fall into sickness because the family does
not have health insurance. May we work for government policies that provide
every person with quality health care. |
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