By Leon Bent –
Pope Francis thinks aloud, “At the end of the Jubilee of Mercy, I want to offer the Church, a “World Day of the Poor”, a concrete sign of Christ’s love for those who are most in need.”
November 17, 2019, marks the Third Annual World Day of the Poor. In 2017, Pope Francis suggested the Catholic Church set aside one day each year, when communities can “reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel.” He designated this day as the World Day of the Poor, and it will be celebrated on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, each year.
In this year’s World Day of the Poor message, Pope Francis reflects on Psalm 9:19, “The hope of the poor will not perish forever.” These words of the Psalm remain timely. They express a profound truth that faith impresses above all on the hearts of the poor, restoring lost hope in the face of injustice, sufferings and the uncertainties of life. He considers the suffering of millions of people who experience poverty, noting that they maintain hope in the Lord in a very real way, because he assures them of his faithfulness. Pope Francis challenges us to be authentic witnesses of Christian hope, and to accompany the poor through a personal and constant commitment over time.
This day reminds us profoundly that, “the poor are not a problem: they are a resource from which to draw, as we strive to accept and practise in our lives the essence of the Gospel.”
Pope Francis asks that all in the Church will take some concrete steps, to help make this World Day of the Poor, a tradition that concretely contributes to evangelization in today’s world. He plans to celebrate Eucharist on 19th November with some of those in need, with their supporters, and has invited 500 people to lunch in the Vatican.
He also reminds us that prayer should always be at the heart of all the many concrete initiatives we may take. He says, “Let us not forget that the “Our Father” is a prayer of the poor. Our asking for bread expresses our entrustment to God for our basic needs in life. Everything that Jesus taught us in this prayer expresses and brings together the cry of all who suffer from life’s uncertainties, and the lack of what they need. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he answered in the words with which the poor speak to our common Father, in whose name all acknowledge themselves as brothers and sisters. The Our Father is a prayer said in the plural: the bread for which we ask is “ours”, and that entails sharing, participation and joint responsibility. In this prayer, all of us recognize our need to overcome all forms of selfishness, to enter into the joy of mutual acceptance.”
On this World Day we are called to examine our conscience, to see if we can truly hear and respond to the cry of the poor in our world. In our communities, we are invited to offer friendship, solidarity, welcome and hospitality to the poorest of our sisters and brothers.
Pope Francis asks us to pray, and to share a meal after Mass if we can, in a spirit of joy and togetherness. “If the disciples of the Lord Jesus wish to be genuine evangelizers, they must sow tangible seeds of hope. I ask all Christian communities, and all those who feel impelled to offer hope and consolation to the poor, to help ensure that this World Day of the Poor will encourage more and more people to cooperate effectively so that no one will feel deprived of closeness and solidarity. May you always treasure the words of the prophet who proclaims a different future: “For you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings” (Mal 3:20 [4:2]; Also see Pope Francis’ Message, 2019, n.10).
Now, this gold nugget! To experience World Day of the Poor is a privileged moment of the New Evangelization. The poor indoctrinate and help us each day, to discover the beauty of the Gospel. Let us not squander this grace-filled opportunity. On this day, may all of us feel that we are in debt to the poor, because, in hands outstretched to one another, a salvific encounter can take place to strengthen our faith, inspire our charity and enable our hope, to advance securely on our path towards the Lord at his Second Coming!
And, this final flourish! “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him” (Ps 34:6). The words of the Psalmist become our own whenever we are called to encounter the different conditions of suffering and marginalization experienced by so many of our brothers and sisters whom we are accustomed to label generically as “the poor”.
Leon Bent is an ex-Seminarian and studied the Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Philosophy, from St. Pius X College, Mumbai. He holds Masters Degree in English Literature and Aesthetics. He has published three Books and have 20 on the anvil. He has two extensively “Researched” Volumes to his name: Hail Full of Grace and Matrimony: The Thousand Faces of Love. He won The Examiner, Silver Pen Award, 2000 for writing on Social Issues, the clincher being a Researched Article on Gypsies in India, published in an issue of the (worldwide circulation) Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, New Delhi. On April, 28, 2018, Leon received the Cardinal Ivan Dias Award for a research paper in Mariology.