The cold within

December 6, 2018
Father Alfred Puccinelli, SM
Notre Dame des Victoires Parish, San Francisco
 
To those who advocate harsh treatment for those persons coming across the border I would ask them to read the following story. I do not know the author’s name but it involves five people who froze to death around a campfire on a bitter cold night.
 
The fire was dying out but each of them had a stick of wood they could contribute to keep the fire going. Each refused to give up their firewood.
 
A woman would not give up her stick because there was a man in the circle. A homeless man would not surrender his stick because there was a rich man there. The rich man refused because it would warm someone who was obviously shiftless and lazy. A Christian would not give up his stick of wood because a Muslim was in their midst. An African-American withheld his piece of wood to get even with white people for all done to him and his race over time.
 
The fire died out as did each of them as they all held on to their sticks of wood. They did not die from the cold outside. They died from the cold within.
 

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