Pope Francis has said that Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist so that we ourselves may become a gift to others, particularly the poorest and most in need.
Who are these poor and needy that Jesus speaks of? We know that the poor are the center of the Church, but who are they?
At first, we may think of this literally and cite people who have a life different from our own: people who live in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, people who suffer from food scarcity and rely on soup kitchens and local food pantries for their meals, people who are homeless and live on the streets, people who are in prisons, in hospitals, and even in nursing homes. Though those in such situations are deserving of our help, we need to view “the poor” in more than just a literal sense.
The reality of the matter is that the people we refer to as “the poor” can be much closer than we realize. They can be members of our own families, churches, and workplaces. Closer still, we ourselves may be among the poor, feeling unloved, rejected, ignored, or abused.
It is when we see and experience poverty, whether close by, far away, or even in our own hearts, that we need to become the Church. That is, we need to hold hands as brothers and sisters, confess our own brokenness and need, forgive one another, do what we can to heal one another’s wounds, and gather around the table of Jesus for the breaking of the bread.
When we recognize ourselves as “the poor”, we recognize Jesus, who became poor for us. Lack of money or status does not necessarily make us “poor”, at least not in this sense; it is a lack of a relationship with God or trust in Jesus’ plan for us.
As I reread these words, all I think of are the financially insecure folks who have been a deep source of inspiration. How do you fit into this situation? Are you poor or rich? Only you can really say, although the scripture does remind us that ‘by their fruits you shall know them’ (Matthew 7:20).
Spend some time this week thinking about your ‘wealth’. What do you consider to be your wealth? Name it. See how you could describe yourself – rich or poor?
A far better question is ‘What is my relationship with God?’. You may find yourself surprised with your own answer.
As we move into the season of Advent, it is a great time to take stock of yourself and see how well you share your resources, yourself, with and for others. Do you make Christ’s presence visible to others? Are you willing to express your brokenness?
No matter our status in life or wealth, we can always be Christ to one another. Jesus arrived in this world in the humblest of settings. His birth has richly blessed us all.
Claim your own richness and be blessed. Happy Advent.
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
