feeding the poor

Conservative politics: Either the government feeds the poor, or the poor feed themselves.

Liberal politics: Either the government feeds the poor, or the poor starve.

Catholic Social teaching: The poor could starve. The government could feed them. Or, you could feed the poor.

Peter Maurin, "At a Sacrifice," from Easy Essays

In the first centuries
In our own day
of Christianity
the hungry were fed
at a personal sacrifice,
the naked were clothed
at a personal sacrifice,
the homeless were sheltered
at personal sacrifice.
And because the poor
were fed, clothed and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,
the pagans used to say
about the Christians
“See how they love each other.”

the poor are no longer
fed, clothed and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,
but at the expense
of the taxpayers.
And because the poor
are no longer
fed, clothed and sheltered
the pagans say about the Christians
“See how they pass the buck.”