SEVENTH WORLD DAY OF THE POOR

As a Church, we celebrate the Seventh World Day of the Poor. Pope Francis invites us to meditate on this verse taken from the book of Tobit: “Tobit, in the moment of trial, discovers his own poverty, which makes him capable of recognizing the poor. He is faithful to God’s Law and observes the commandments, but this is not enough for him. Effective care for the poor was possible because he had experienced poverty in his own flesh. Therefore, the words he addressed to his son Tobias are his true inheritance: “Do not turn your face away from any poor person” (4:7). In short, when we are in front of a poor person, we cannot turn our gaze elsewhere, because that will prevent us from encountering the face of the Lord Jesus. And let us take a good look at that expression: “of no poor person.” Each one of them is our neighbor… If I am poor, I can recognize who is the brother who really needs me. We are called to meet every poor person and every type of poverty, shaking off the indifference and banality with which we shield an illusory well-being.”