World Day of the Poor

Holy Father, Pope Francis, at the conclusion of the Jubilee of Mercy offered the world a “World Day of the Poor” so that throughout the world Christian communities and everyone can become an ever greater sign of Christ’s charity for the least and those most in need. It is in this view, the Holy Father has called Sunday, 19 November as the First World Day of the Poor. On this day, we are invited as men and women of good will everywhere, to gaze on this day to all those who stretch their hands and plead for our help and solidarity. God has loved us first and he has given up himself for us on the Cross. Such love is cannot go unanswered. We have to love Him back through welcoming God’s grace and through his merciful charity in our hearts, so that our will and even our emotions are drawn to love God and love our brothers and sisters.

Poverty challenges us daily in myriad ways, in faces marked by suffering, marginalization, oppression, violence, torture and imprisonment, war, deprivation of freedom and dignity, ignorance and illiteracy, medical emergencies and shortage of work, trafficking and slavery, exile, extreme poverty and forced migration. These above kinds of poverty have faces, and these faces will remain as they are unless we reach out to each other in due time. Tragically, in our own time, enormous wealth accumulates in the hands of the privileged few, often in connection with illegal activities and through appalling exploitation of human dignity, hence, pushing people to extreme poverty. Pope’s message is self-explanatory as regards to how one acquires the wealth. The World Day of the Poor is meant above all, to encourage us to reach against the culture of discard and waste, and to embrace the culture of encounter. Meantime, everyone, independent of religious affiliations, is invited to openness and sharing with the poor through concrete signs of solidarity and fraternity. It is time to break barriers, walls and fences and uphold the God’s original gift of humanity to all. We are invited to make every effort to create moments of encounter and friendship, solidarity and concrete assistance.

One might brush aside these wonderful thoughts of the Pope with usual parlance, “go preacher” but it is significant to pay attention to the reality that is marred by poverty of several kind. Even though, Pope has invited the Catholic Church to observe this Day, it is truly an invitation to everyone to be concrete and pragmatic in our approach to the poor. It is significant to identify who are the poor of our society or is there poor people in my neighborhood or do we care to see poor people lying around our cities? It is a crucial call given by the Pope, who follows a simply and a humble way of life. I also would extend my gratitude to all people who help the poor in their need not merely during Christmas but all round the year. Let us live and share a happy and good life.

Fr. Jerri Dias SJ