Tuesday,
October 22, 2013 Anonymous
The
world has a lot to say about the poor.
Take
a stroll down the roughest part of our local city center: what do you
feel? Discomfort? Guilt? Indifference? Do you avoid eye contact
with the
homeless, with drug dealers, with street children, with
prostitutes? Do you simply walk a little faster?
Maybe
you stop and share some change, or a granola bar, or even stop to buy a
coffee. Many of us feel like there’s nothing to be done, that we could
never do enough to make a difference in the lives of those in need, or
even that they don’t deserve our assistance.
For
many of us, the poor are faceless: a child in a third world
country who gets a basket of rice for our $19.99 every month or the
patrons of a soup kitchen to which we donate non-perishables.
Humanitarianism
is on the rise in our culture. Like never before, we have the ability
not only to know about, but to travel and actually impact, the whole
world. People like Angelina Jolie, Bono, and Pope Francis are three of
the loudest voices speaking out against human suffering today. These
people feel a responsibility, even a call, to help those in need.
This
week over a million Catholic Christian young people flood
Rio de Janeiro
for World
Youth Day. They have traveled from literally all over the
world to see and receive guidance from the Pope. This
isn’t just a fun vacation for the youth who are attending, they will
be challenged to try and make the world a better place when they leave.
Pope
Francis will welcome all of these visitors to his native
South America
, and throughout his visit he’ll be greeting millions who have
traveled to worship alongside him–but that’s only part of his
schedule.
The
Pope’s visit to
Rio
will be busy. He will spend most of the day Wednesday in prayerful
retreat, and then spend his evening visiting patients suffering with
AIDS at a
Rio
hospital. The next day, he will visit one of the poorest neighborhoods
in
Rio
, Manguinhos. He will also spend some time visiting with young
prisoners: not in their prison, rather, they will be welcomed at the
Archbishop’s home in
Rio
.
Francis
has made it clear that he cares deeply for the poor and that his
ministry will be centered around loving those
whom the world has rejected. When he washed the feet of 12
young prisoners before Easter this year, he said: “Among us the
one who is highest up must be at the service of others. This is a
symbol, it is a sign. Washing your feet means I am at your service.”
Pope
Francis is imitating the One who loved him first.
Many
people – people like Mother Teresa, Pope Francis, and yes, even Bono
– have been inspired by the love of Jesus Christ, who lived His whole
life loving those whom the world abused.
Jesus
was motivated by love, in fact He is the very definition of love.
His ministry culminated with the sacrifice of His own life on the cross:
He
died for all of
us.
It’s
easy to spot the poor and needy materially, but we are all poor. We all
have a hunger. Jesus gave His life to provide for us in our poverty and
hunger with His love. The Bible says “Greater love has no one than
this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
If this
is true, if we are motivated by love and want to love well, then we need
to be willing to sacrifice our comforts and even our own lives for those
who go without
We
don’t need to be millionaires, authorities, or celebrities with a huge
sphere of influence in order to make a difference in the lives of those
in need. We can start in our own cities, loving our friends, but
eventually the whole world, and loving them the way Jesus did. Eating
with the hungry, socializing with the ostracized, clothing the naked,
visiting prisoners.
If you
feel convicted by this, why not find a local soup kitchen and serve
lunch to the hungry a few times a month, go through your closet and
donate anything you haven’t worn in a while to a shelter, or visit an
elderly neighbor? And while you’re at it,
consider Who may have blessed you with the means to help those in need.
Lord
Jesus, I am hungry. I have tried to fill my life with many things that
do not satisfy. I have hurt others and I have hurt You with my words and
actions, and I’m sorry. I believe that You died on the cross to spare
me from the consequences I deserve. Thank You for Your sacrifice. I
believe that You rose from the dead into eternal life and I want to live
it with You: I know that You alone can satisfy me. I want You to take
control of my life, show me Your great love so that I can share it with
the world. Amen.
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