The Greek historian Plutarch wrote just under 2,000 years ago that Christians were known among the Romans for their care of each other and of the poor. That dual care came from a dream.
Jesus of Nazareth had a dream. Francis of Assisi had a dream. Pope Francis and many others have the realization of that same dream as an ideal. It is the hope that ultimately charity, care
and justice will triumph over greed, deceit and lust for power. The ideal has been partially visible in the activity of monasteries missionaries and organizations of charity. Their care has
since been taken over in many places by subsidized professionals.
After the death of Jesus of Nazareth, the movement of Christians became very popular. Weekly meetings were open to anyone who wanted to become a Christian. It did not matter if someone was
Jewish or Roman, rich or poor, learned or illiterate, slave or free citizen, woman or man. Anyone could become a Christian. Anyone could show their own worth in a community. But those same
communities, shortly after beginning as a community, chose a path that completely deviated from the original principles. This dream came under
pressure within the structure of the young church.
See
Crisis.
