By Barb Arland-Fye
Editorial
In the third century, during a time of intense persecution of Christians, Roman authorities forced a deacon named Lawrence to turn over the treasures of the Church. “The following day, he brought the poor with him. Questioned about where the promised treasures might be, he pointed to the poor saying, ‘These are the treasures of the Church.’”
This passage from an account of St. Ambrose of Milan is among the examples that Pope Leo XIV includes in his apostolic exhortation “Dilexi Te” (“On Love for the Poor”) to emphasize his message: “In the poor, Christ continues to speak to us” (No. 5). What an inspiring message to contemplate as we remember the birth of our Savior, who was born into poverty and tells us, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
Pope Leo explains that in writing “On Love For the Poor,” he was completing an apostolic exhortation on the Church’s care for the poor that Pope Francis had been preparing in the months before his death on April 21. Pope Leo said he shares with his beloved predecessor an appreciation for the close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor. “On Love for the Poor” is itself a treasure for the Church, a guide for us on the journey toward our eternal salvation.
“On Love for the Poor” intertwines Scripture, Church teaching, the writings of Pope Leo’s predecessors and other Church leaders and saints in a 38-page document, timely reading for this Christmas season and National Poverty Awareness Month in January. Approximately 11.3% of Iowans are in poverty, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (https://tinyurl.com/5c2h93cb). An additional 25% of households are experiencing financial hardship, according to United ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, https://tinyurl.com/mr2sb5ta).
Financial struggles are not the only measure of poverty. Pope Leo identifies “the poverty of those who lack material means of subsistence, the poverty of those who are socially marginalized and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities, moral and spiritual poverty, cultural poverty, the poverty of those who find themselves in a condition of personal or social weakness or fragility, the poverty of those who have no rights, no space, no freedom” (No. 9).
The Holy Father lays out his argument for addressing poverty in its many forms, with a reminder. Christ’s Church “must be a Church of the Beatitudes, one that makes room for the little ones and walks poor with the poor …” (No. 21). We must keep in mind that the “poor are not just people to be helped, but the sacramental presence of the Lord,” Pope Leo says, citing St. Augustine, a fourth-century bishop and doctor of the Church.
On the issue of migration, Pope Leo cites Pope Francis: “our response to the challenges posed by contemporary migration can be summed up in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote and integrate.” Pope Leo emphasizes that these verbs apply to “all those living in the existential peripheries, who need to be welcomed, protected, promoted and integrated… (the Church) knows that in every rejected immigrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community” (No. 75).
The Holy Father wrote of Pope John Paul’s reminder that “there is a special presence of Christ in the poor, and this requires the Church to make a preferential option for them” (No. 78). Solidarity with the poor means “fighting against the structural causes of poverty and inequality; of the lack of work, of land and housing; and the denial of labor rights,” Pope Leo says (No. 81).
Pope Leo underscores the “Church’s preferential option to the poor” with examples such as the Aparecida Conference of the Latin American bishops. The Holy Father quotes from this passage in the Aparecida document: “Only the closeness that makes us friends enables us to appreciate deeply the values of the poor today, their legitimate desires, and their own manner of living the faith…” (No. 100).
One of the challenges we must face is that “the sight of a person who is suffering disturbs us. It makes us uneasy, since we have no time to waste on other people’s problems.” The final words of the Good Samaritan parable, “Go and do likewise,” the Holy Father said, “represent a mandate that every Christian must take to heart” (No. 107).
In this season of hope, let us recognize the treasures of the Church, the poor among us, and fill them with hope through our actions and words. Here are some suggestions:
- Visit the USCCB Website to explore resource materials about “Dilexi Te.” Resources include a webpage, a four-page reflection guide and a prayer card inspired by “Dilexi Te.” (https://www.usccb.org/dilexi-te).
- Visit the USCCB’s Poverty Awareness Month page (https://tinyurl.com/2m65fp8u).
- Affordable housing is a huge challenge in Iowa and throughout the country. Learn more about this issue by visiting the National Alliance to End Homelessness website (endhomelessness.org)
- Assist organizations that give a hand up to people in poverty, such as Community Action of Southeast Iowa (caofseia.org); Information, Referral and Assistance Services in Clinton(irasclinton.com); Humility Homes and Services in Davenport (humilityhomes.org); and Iowa City Catholic Worker (iowacitycatholicworker.org).
- Visit the Iowa Catholic Conference website
(iowacatholicconference.org) to keep abreast of legislative issues and action alerts.
“A Church that sets no limits to love, that knows no enemies to fight but only men and women to love, is the Church that the world needs today,” Pope Leo concludes in “On Love for the Poor.”
Barb Arland-Fye, editor emeritus The Catholic Messenger
Barbarland85@gmail.com
