Is this how we treat the poor?

Bethany at Danced knocked me flat this morning reflections on Christians and the poor. Bethany quotes Saint Vincent de Paul, who urged Christians to serve the poor as our masters, "with utter respect, and do what they bid us." Then Bethany gives us this observation from Mother Teresa:

Do you not believe that it can happen, on the other hand, that we treat the poor like they are a garbage bag in which we throw everything we have no use for? Food we do not like or that is going bad–we throw it there.

Perishable goods past their expirations date, and which might harm us, go in the garbage bag: in other words, go to the poor. An [article] of clothing that is not in style anymore, that we do not want to wear again, goes to the poor.

Kyrie eleison.

Update: I've edited this post to more accurately attribute the quotes. Thanks, Bethany, for setting me straight.

Update 2: Swap Blog continues the discussion here.