Spiritual Reflection – World Day of the Poor 2021

 

Selection by Deacon Steve

“The poor, always and everywhere, evangelize us, because they enable us to discover in new ways the true face of the Father.

“They have much to teach us. Besides participating in the sensus fidei, they know the suffering Christ through their own sufferings. It is necessary that we all let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to recognize the salvific power of their lives and to place them at the centre of the Church’s journey. We are called to discover Christ in them, to lend them our voice in their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to understand them and to welcome the mysterious wisdom that God wants to communicate to us through them…what the Holy Spirit mobilizes is…above all an attentiveness that considers the other in a certain sense as one with ourselves.

“The poor are not people outside our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, in an effort to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization, restore their lost dignity and ensure their necessary inclusion….acts of charity presuppose a giver and a receiver, whereas mutual sharing generates fraternity…mutual sharing is enduring…strengthens solidarity and lays the necessary foundations for achieving justice. In short, believers when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn. The poor are a sacrament of Christ; they represent his person and point to him.”

Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Fifth World Day of the Poor, p. 2 & 3

The Desire for Charity

 

Reflection selection from Thomas Merton by Deacon Steve

The first thing we must do when we recognize the presence of God’s grace in our hearts is to desire more charity. The desire for love is itself a beginning of love, and from the moment we desire more we already have more: and our desire is itself the pledge of even more to come. This is because an efficacious desire to love God makes us turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s will.

It is by desiring to grow in love that we receive the Holy Spirit, and the thirst for more charity is the effect of this more abundant reception. 

The desire for charity is more than a blind hunger of the soul (although in certain circumstances it is very blind and very much of a hunger). It is clear sighted in the sense that the intelligence enlightened by the Holy Spirit turns to the Father and asks for an increase of love in the name of the Son. That is to say that the desire for charity in a mature Christian soul is a lucid, deep, peaceful, active, and supremely fruitful knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

Thomas Merton, “No Man is an Island” p. 180

September 27th – St. Vincent de Paul

- Reflection by Deacon Steve for the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, September 27th

Fr. Vincent serving the poor

In the “Life of St. Vincent de Paul” by Henry Bedford, there is a chapter called “The Sufferings of Lorraine” and refers to the year of 1639. While the thirty year war was still raging on Lorraine ended up being ravaged by French invaders amongst many. So bad was the devastation that one author wrote, “The country people, livid and gaunt through famine fought for the very grass, the roots of trees and acorns, and devoured ravenously the most putrid carrion. At last famine brought them to such a state that men killed one another for food.”

The author goes onto note that “Vincent heard that cry and at once responded to that appeal.” He gave all of the money they had in the house, and cut the meals in half and substituted some of the food with much poorer alternatives so as to try and offer more for the cause of the people of Lorraine.

Vincent wrote, “These are times of penance…for God is afflicting His people. To so much we are bound by obligation; but ought we not moreover to retrench something of our daily fare for the relief of others.”

After having exhausted his own resources he then looked to others, friends and contacts. Even these resources were soon used up and he had to turn to others. Soon those with more than ample resources were drawn in, such was the great saint’s appeal. Duchesses and other government officials drew on their wealth. Even Queen Anne of Austria would come forward and contribute greatly to the cause of Lorraine’s people.

Such was the influence of Vincent because of his deep prayer life and his amazing faith and trust in God’s providence. As the author says, “Men of less faith might have shrunk from so gigantic a labour; but it was a characteristic of our Saint to rise with the occasion, and to draw courage from what daunted others.”

Let us continue to pray for one another that our faith and trust in God may continue to deepen so that while the challenges that we face may seem overwhelming at times, we too may draw courage and rise to the occasion. Believe me when I say that I know you all have done it many times already.

God bless.

- Steve