The 9th World Day of The Poor
Fr. Francis Di Spigno, OFM,
Pastor
How many times have we heard “The second collection today is for…” The answer to that question is … every week! We know that
collections are part of our life as a church. Your weekly generosity is the only way we can continue to do what we do. The second collection is always for something specific, i.e. liturgy, heating, retired friars or sisters, etc. Many times, however, the second collection is for something outside of our parish, for example Catholic Relief Services, Black & Native Americans, or this weekend’s collection, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. The CCHD is an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that
addresses poverty within the United States. It is no coincidence that this weekend is The World Day of the Poor.
In 2016, Pope Francis established the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary time as The World Day of the Poor. He was very strategic in choosing this weekend. It is the week before the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The scripture readings for the past few weeks have had a very strong apocalyptic tone and will culminate next weekend when we celebrate the end of our liturgical year. The message is about the “end times,” be it the end of the world or just the knowledge that none of us gets out of this alive. Of course, the Gospel, being what it is, “Good News,” never allows us to end in the tragic demise of what this world can offer but affirms our hope that God will carry us through everything! The question of our salvation, however, often reflects back to Matthew 25:31-46, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers or sisters of mine, you did for me.”
The genius of Pope Francis’ creation of The World Day of the Poor was not just to fill the coffers. It was not just to have a second collection so that the poor can be fed, the naked clothed, and the imprisoned visited but that we also may be in solidarity with the poor. In his Apostolic Letter, Misericordia et Misera, when introducing The World Day of the Poor, he wrote, “It would be a day to help communities and each of the baptized to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel and that, as long as Lazarus lies at the door of our homes (cf. Lk 16:19-21), there can be no justice or social peace. This Day will also represent a genuine form of new evangelization (cf. Mt 11:5) which can renew the face of the Church as She perseveres in her perennial activity of pastoral conversion and witness to mercy.”
Pope Leo issued a message reflecting on The World Day of the Poor. Within it, he very succinctly explains how we can learn from the poor. “The poor can be witnesses to a strong and steadfast hope, precisely because they embody it in the midst of uncertainty, poverty, instability and marginalization. They cannot rely on the security of power and possessions; on the contrary, they are at their mercy and often victims of them. Their hope must necessarily be sought elsewhere. By recognizing that God is our first and only hope, we too pass from fleeting hopes to a lasting hope.” I know in my life, I can become distracted by thinking that I am in control. Pope Leo is suggesting that the poor, in their own way, because they so little, including “influence” in our society, can show us how to be dependent on God and not on the things of this world.
I would encourage you to be as generous as you are able in today’s second collection, but I would strongly encourage you to meet the poor, if you have not already. The St.
Francis Food Pantry is looking for volunteers. That is one way you can put a name and face to “the poor.” Our Parish Jail Ministry is another. Parishioners, Marion and Jack Pierri, are often taking our young adults to St. Francis Inn in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. I am sure they would welcome others who would like to join them.
The World Day of the Poor is asking us to allow the least of our brothers and sisters to teach us how to get closer to God.
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