~ Earlier this month, our Holy Father, Pope Leo, released his first major document as Pope, an Apostolic Exhortation, called Dilexi Te, which translates to “I Have Loved You”. Its subtitle is “To All Christians, on Love for the Poor”. In this beautiful document, which I certainly recommend to you for your prayer and reflection, Pope Leo lays out that care for the poor is essential and non-negotiable for Christians. He recalls the example and command of Jesus to care for the poor, the many saints and popes who have advocated for the poor, and the ministries and traditions of the Church that serve the poor. Pope Leo writes, “No Christian can regard the poor simply as a societal problem; they are part of our “family.” They are “one of us.” Nor can our relationship to the poor be reduced to merely another ecclesial activity or function. We are asked to devote time to the poor, to give them loving attention, to listen to them with interest, to stand by them in difficult moments, choosing to spend hours, weeks or years of our lives with them, and striving to transform their situations, starting from them. We cannot forget that this is what Jesus himself proposed in his actions and by his words.”
Our Sunday Scriptures this weekend make it clear that God has a particular love for the poor. Sirach expresses it this way in our First Reading, “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.” In the Psalm today we prayed, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” And in our Gospel, the Lord seems to prefer the prayer of the humble tax collector rather than the powerful Pharisee. Now God loves everyone with equality, of course. God does not despise anyone, certainly not the rich and powerful. But all things being equal, God prefers the poor, God has a special place in God’s heart for the poor and the lowly. That is what means to have a preferential love, a preferential option for the poor. We love everyone, but we Christians prefer the poor.
What would the world be like if we viewed everything through the lens of how it would affect, or help, or hurt the poor? Every candidate for public office, what would they do for the poor? Every ballot initiative, every tax break, every corporate subsidy, how would it affect the poor? Every dollar we made, every dollar we invested, every dollar we saved, how does that affect the poor? In every budget we put together, every pastoral plan we make, any strategic plan we put together, do the poor matter? What about the present government shutdown? What if the only consideration was, “how is this affecting the poor?” Actually, we already know it is negatively affecting the poor. The President of Catholic Charities USA said, that the shutdown will “take a particular toll on the most vulnerable among us, from hungry children and parents living paycheck to paycheck to seniors struggling to afford medications and groceries.” Now we know that on November 1, SNAP benefits will expire, and there is no plan to save this essential food and nutrition assistance for the poor. It is, in my opinion, shameful that the poor are suffering because our leaders cannot work together.
So, friends, we need to step up. The Archbishop has asked every parish to have a food collection at the beginning of November to assist those who will not receive their SNAP benefits. I’ve asked out St. Vincent de Paul Society to take the lead on this, and we will have a food collection the first two weekends of November. This is in addition to our annual Christmas collection for Isaiah 58 Ministries, where our parish has committed to collecting 400 small canned of yams. That’s a simple way to help the poor. This week, please purchase some extra food and some canned yams and bring them to Church next weekend. Heck, you can purchase groceries anytime and bring them to the Isaiah 58 food pantry or to the food pantry at St. Pius V. Soon we will be having our Christmas outreach, and we hope to raise over $20,000 so that our Vincentians have funds to assist folks with utilities and rent and other needs. Please be generous when you are asked. The people who are so closely involved with our St. Vincent de Paul Society certainly are to be commended, and I am grateful to all those who support them, and I urge all of you to do more.
So if you’re looking for God in your life, if you don’t feel the presence of God, if you don’t feel that your prayer and faith is increasing, may I suggest that you look to the poor? Serve the poor. Listen to the poor. Volunteer with our St. Vincent de Paul Society or at Isaiah 58 Ministries. Go to St. Vincent de Paul Parish and serve meals to the poor, or go to SS. Peter & Paul Parish and work in their homeless shelter or help with St. John’s Peace Meal. Join our Living Justice Ministries or learn about Metropolitan Congregations United in their work for justice. Heck, just give $5 to someone on the street someday. Listen to the voices of those who feel that they have no power or any place in our society. I assure you, you will find the Lord Jesus there among the poor.
And yes, I’ve heard the excuses… the poor will take advantage of you, they are not honest, they will waste the money on booze. Well, I’ll tell you, sometimes I’m not honest and sometimes I take advantage of people, and sometimes I spend money on booze, and you know what? So do you. So let’s not be all “holier-than-thou”. And yes, we also know that we will never eradicate poverty or need in this life; Jesus himself said that the poor will always be with us. But does that mean we do nothing? Of course not! It is unacceptable to do nothing. We cannot do everything, but we are all obligated to do something. We can come up with all kinds of excuses, but the fact remains: there is never a good excuse for us to fail in Christ’s command to love and serve the poor.
The words of the gospel are clear: the one who exalts himself will be humbled and the one who humbles herself will be exalted. Jesus wants us to be with the poor, the lowly, the brokenhearted, so that we can learn our true place before God. May this Eucharist strengthen us to see Christ in the poor and those most in need!
The Pope closed his Exhortation on the Poor with these words, which are also perfect words to end this homily:
Through your work, your efforts to change unjust social structures or your simple, heartfelt gesture of closeness and support, the poor will come to realize that Jesus’ words are addressed personally to each of them: “I have loved you.”