Villa La Paz Newsletter September 2023
Poverty
1 the condition or quality of being poor; indigence; need
2 deficiency in necessary properties or qualities, or in a specific quality
3 smallness in amount, scarcity, paucity
We should start realizing what true poverty is. First and foremost, it is a realization of who we are. We are created by God. We are creatures of God who are totally dependent on Him. We are the “anawim,” the poor people of the Lord, the little people who know that they are totally dependent, who “lean” on God, knowing that without God they can do nothing.
Servant of God Catherine De Hueck Doherty
We are all poor. We are completely dependent upon God. But our money, power or social status can blind us to the reality of how poor we are and how much we need God’s love and mercy.
Gerard Thomas Straub
The mystery of poverty is that by sharing in it, making ourselves poor in giving to others, we increase our knowledge of and belief in love.
Dorothy Day
God and the little boy met at the seashore by chance one morning as God was walking and enjoying the view. As usual the little boy had a question for God.
“God,” asked the little boy, “Sister Ann told us that when you lived among us you were poor. You were born in a stable, lived in poverty, were totally dependent on others for food and the necessities of life and were even buried in a borrowed grave. If you are God why did you choose to live that way?”
God answered, “To show my children the really important things in life. Money, titles, properties may be necessary to live but they are not the most important things in life. The realization that all is gift, that whatever my children have comes from me, that they are totally dependent on me, as I was totally dependent on others during my life on earth, and that what I have given them is to be shared with those less fortunate, that is most important. Poverty in some ways can be a blessing since the poor realize that they depend totally on Divine Providence for their sustenance and are grateful to me when their needs are met. In other words they are closer to me than a person who has resources and does not feel dependent on me. Of course poverty can be destructive and demeaning. It can destroy one’s dignity and result in disease and death. But it is important to realize that it is not inevitable. It exists because my children do not share their gifts with the less fortunate. It would not exist if those with means shared with those less fortunate.”
“Do you mean that those with means should give money to the poor?” asked the little boy.
“No,” said God. “Many of the poor have pride and are offended when money is given directly to them but those with resources can support charitable organizations that help the poor in various ways with food, medicines and medical care, houses and other necessities. They can also help the poor by giving of themselves, accompanying the poor in their journey through life and in that way showing solidarity with them. My children must keep in mind what I said when I lived among them, ‘What you do to the least of these my little ones you do to me.’ People must see me in everyone since we are all one, united in my love.”
“But it is hard to see you in everyone. There are some in my school I simply do not like and do not want to be with them,” said the little boy.
“Those who you do not like and probably suffer because of it are most representative of me, and are very special to me,” said God.
The conundrum of poverty. Why does it exist when there are enough resources in the world to abolish or attenuate it? The most succinct answers to the existence of poverty were given by St. Basil the Great and Clarence Jordan.
When someone strips another of his clothes he is called a thief. Should not someone who has the power to clothe the naked but does not do so be called the same? The bread in your larder belongs to the hungry. The cloak in your wardrobe belongs to the naked. The shoes you allow to rot belong to the barefoot. The money in your vaults belongs to the destitute. You do injustice to everyone who you could help but do not.
St. Basil the Great
4th Century Bishop of Ceasarea
When God made human kind, He made provision for all our needs. This has been true ever since. God has already “added all these things.” There is enough in the world today to meet all our needs. The problem is not in supply but in distribution, not with God but with us. Poverty and riches are the result of man’s rebellion against the will of God. When His kingdom comes, when His will is done on earth, both poverty and riches will go!
Clarence Jordan
American Farmer
We have to realize that God depends on us to care for the less fortunate. What He has given us He has given to us in stewardship, to be used for our own needs and the needs of others who require our care. There can be no greater blessing than to see someone benefitted by our actions, to see someone lifted out of poverty through our efforts. It all comes down to our willingness to share the bounty which God has given us.
O Lord Christ, we ask you to spread our tables with your mercy. And may you bless with your gentle hands the good things you have given us. We know that whatever we have comes from you. Thus whatever we eat, we should give thanks to you. And having received from your hands, let us give with equally generous hands to those who are poor, breaking bread and sharing our bread with them. For you have told us that whatever we give to the poor we give to you. Amen.
St. Alcuin of York
My last word to you is that you live in harmony, united together, all of one heart and one will.
St. Angela Merici
Our children and millions of children in the world are born into poverty. Through our actions we can prevent that they remain in poverty and are able to continue through life as resourceful human beings who will contribute to the commonweal. It falls to us to ensure that the cycle of poverty is broken and God’s children can live the lives God meant them to live.
We thank you for supporting our children and the children of the world. We love you and wish you God’s peace.
