His message for the Sixth World Day of the Poor is a healthy provocation, says the Pope, "to help us reflect on our lifestyle and on the many poverties of the present moment.".
"A few months ago, the world was emerging from the storm of the pandemic, showing signs of economic recovery that would bring relief to millions of people impoverished by the loss of employment. There was a glimpse of serenity that, without forgetting the pain of the loss of loved ones, promised finally to be able to return to direct interpersonal relationships, to meet again without limitations or restrictions. And then a new catastrophe appeared on the horizon, destined to impose a different scenario on the world.
La guerra en Ucrania vino a agregarse a las guerras regionales que en estos años están trayendo muerte y destrucción..."
Also In the present context of conflict, illness and war, Francis evokes the example of St. Paul, que organizó colectas, por ejemplo, en Corinto, para atender a los pobres de Jerusalén. Se refiere concretamente a las colectas de la misa del domingo. “Por indicación de Pablo, cada primer día de la semana recogían lo que habían logrado ahorrar y todos eran muy generosos”. También nosotros debemos serlo por el mismo motivo, como signo del amor que hemos recibido de Jesucristo. Es un signo que los cristianos siempre han realizado con alegría y sentido de responsabilidad, para que a ninguna hermana o hermano le falte lo necesario”, como atestigua ya san Justino (cf. Primera Apología, LXVII, 1-6).
Thus the Pope exhorts us to not getting tired of living solidarity and welcomeAs members of civil society, let us keep alive the call to the values of freedom, responsibility, fraternity and solidarity. And as Christians, let us always find in charity, faith and hope the foundation of our being and our action". In the face of the poor, it is necessary to renounce rhetoric, indifference and the misuse of material goods.. It is not a matter of mere assistance. Nor is it activism: "it is not activism that saves, but rather sincere and generous attention to that allows me to approach a poor person as a brother who reaches out to help me wake up from the lethargy in which I have fallen".
For this reason, the Pope adds with demanding words from his programmatic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium: "no one should say that he or she keeps away from the poor because his or her life choices imply paying more attention to other matters. This is a frequent excuse in academic, business, professional and even ecclesial circles. [...] No one can feel exempted from concern for the poor and for social justice." (n. 201).
"May this VI World Day of the Poor become an opportunity of grace, to make an examination of personal and community conscience, and ask ourselves if the poverty of Jesus Christ is our faithful companion in life."
Pope Francis, message of the XXXIII Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 13, 2022.
And the Bishop of Rome concludes by pointing out two very different types of poverty: "The first is poverty of the poor.there is a poverty - famine and misery - that humiliates and kills, and there is another poverty, his poverty - that of Christ - that liberates us and makes us happy"..
It is the daughter of injustice, exploitation, violence and the unjust distribution of resources. "It is a desperate poverty, with no future, because it is imposed by a throwaway culture that offers no prospects and no way out". This poverty, which is often extreme, also affects "the spiritual dimension which, although often neglected, does not exist or does not count".
La pobreza antropológica, se trata, en efecto, de un fenómeno por desgracia frecuente en la dinámica actual del beneficio sin el contrapeso –que debería ser lo primero y que no se opone al justo beneficio– del servicio a las personas.
And that dynamic is relentless, as described by Francis in his message for the 6th World Day of the PoorWhen the only law is that of calculating profits at the end of the day, then there is no longer any brake on the logic of the exploitation of people: the others are only means. There are no more fair wages, fair working hours, and new forms of slavery are created, suffered by people who have no other alternative and must accept this poisonous injustice in order to obtain the minimum for their livelihood".
Regarding the poverty that liberates (the virtue of detachment or voluntary poverty) is the fruit of the attitude of detachment that every Christian must cultivate.The poverty that liberates, on the other hand, is that which is presented to us as a responsible choice to lighten the ballast and focus on what is essential.
The Pope observes that today many seek to care for the least, the weak and the poor, because they see it as their own need. Far from criticizing this attitude, he values it while appreciating this educational role of the poor towards us: "the encounter with the poor allows us to put an end to so many anxieties and inconsistent fears, to arrive at what really matters in life and that no one can steal from us: true and gratuitous love. The poor, in reality, rather than being the object of our alms, are subjects that help us to free ourselves from the bonds of restlessness and superficiality".
Mr. Ramiro Pellitero Iglesias
Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra.
Published in "Church and new evangelization".
