New week, new month. Although today is still pretty cold, it’s supposed to warm up a bit to reach the freezing mark in the coming week before we hit another cold snap. Don’t you think about the homeless when we have such cold, especially since NYC reported that 10 people died as a result of the cold?
There are shelters, not enough, but we need affordable housing, for sure, although the reasons that we still have so many unhoused are complicated. There hasn’t been a real concerted effort to address the constantly widening income gap with our overwhelming focus on wealth.
The Real Estate section of The New York Times shows us what wealth can buy. While some housing goes for obscene prices, the rest of us struggle with rising prices and costs. The wealthy corporate owners of Amazon, UPS, and Verizon, among others, are now instituting layoffs in large numbers. Most of us are one paycheck away from economic disaster. Time to do an about face in our national economic policy.
Prayer for the Day
Troubled by the events around us in our Nation,
We turn to you, O God, for guidance and help;
Disconcerted by unsure economic times for so many,
We look to you, O Lord, for sustenance and support.
Move us, O Holy One, to change our focus,
And restore to us our concern for our neighbors.
In the name of the One who calls us to care,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Collectively, the wealthiest 1% held about $55 trillion in assets in the third quarter of 2025 — roughly equal to the wealth held by the bottom 90% of Americans combined.
Mark Zandi, chief economist, Moody’s Analytics
Bank of America data show that higher-income households' wage growth grew at 3% rate in December 2025, compared to 1.5% and 1.1% for middle- and low-income households.
Mary Cunningham, CBS News
I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy and executes justice for the poor.
Psalm 140: 12