My family members are staunch Notre Dame people—they bleed green and gold. Today, I want to share excerpts from “Reflection” a short essay by Notre Dame alum Tony Pohlen ’97. While TFFT is and always will be a secular organization, I hope this will resonate regardless of your religious affiliation. In his piece Pohlen points to a prayer Father Hesburgh always used to bless his meals. “O God, to those who have hunger, give bread; and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice.”

He then goes on to say:

Some in our world hunger for a morsel of bread. Others thirst for potable water. Many hunger for access to quality and affordable health care. Many others thirst for education and a job that provides a living wage.

Our world certainly hungers and thirsts. Do I, who have an adequate amount of these tangible things, hunger enough for justice and the common good?

Tony continues to reflect on whether we might co-create a world in which fewer hunger for food to eat and thirst for water to drink—where no one lacks the love and dignity they deserve.

So today I ask the question to you all: Would our world hunger and thirst so much if we all fought for justice?

My charge for you all now is to ACT.

TFFT acts each and every day. We advocate on behalf of orphan and vulnerable children, we fight for the rights of the most vulnerable to achieve quality education, we speak up on the value of teachers and provide them with tools and resources to develop themselves and their classrooms.

I ask YOU to act on behalf of those who hunger and thirst. Use them as your energy and motivation to make this world a better place. Whether it is raising your voice to fight for those without, sharing your thoughts and opinions, reading to gain understanding, volunteering, or donating, ACT. I live with positivity and hope, I’ve seen it in action and wish for you all to witness it as well! I believe in a just world, and work to try and make that a reality day after day. I always say, Geography shouldn’t dictate how far an individual goes in their life, and the quality of education they receive.

In closing, I echo Father Hesburgh’s thoughts.. “…To us who have bread, may we be given a hunger for justice.”

 

Photo credit for all images: Image Is Found