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Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2007 / Evangelization: Good News for the Poor

The Michigan Catholic
Published November 30, 2007

"She wrapped Him is swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn…" (Luke 2:7).

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to proclaim glad tidings to the poor" (Luke 4:18).

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

As I conclude my year-long series on evangelization, this month of December, I would like to reflect on the theme "Good News to the Poor." As we celebrate the season of Advent and prepare for Christmas, our emotions run high and we are challenged to consider the full meaning of what we celebrate at Christmas: That the Son of God took flesh and dwelt among us as a tiny child. During these days of Advent, we look for the countless hidden ways that Christ continues to be present in the "little ones" of our world today, that is, the yet unborn and the dying, the physically and mentally challenged, those lacking basic necessities of life, victims of war or racism and all those who are vulnerable and dependent.

Christ: The Man of Poverty

Christ Himself was born in a state of relative poverty. As St. Luke tells the story of His birth, the Holy Family found themselves in unusual circumstances and were dependent on the hospitality of strangers. There is, of course, great symbolism in the details of the story. Because there was no room in the inn, He was laid in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, a sign that He would be the true and lasting nourishment of humankind. In some way, through this image of the manger, Luke was also referring to Isaiah 2, a text that says even beasts of burden had an intuitive sense of their bond with their heavenly creator. Sadly, however, God's own chosen people had closed minds and hearts and did not recognize their Maker and Redeemer.

Whether Jesus was economically poor or "middle class," clearly, He spent the three years of His public ministry in such a way that He depended on the charitable support and gracious generosity of men and women alike. In Luke's Gospel, He describes His life circumstances by saying He had "no where to rest His head." For St. Luke, this seems to be a significant point: Since Jesus was to bring Good News to the poor, He himself wanted to relate to the poor as one of them. The whole story of the Incarnation is one of solidarity—God with us, for us, and like us — in all things but sin.

In His inaugural homily in His hometown synagogue of Nazareth, Jesus outlined His ministerial priorities. He explained He had been anointed and was being sent to bring Good News to the poor. What exactly did He mean? Who are the "poor"? Poverty is not necessarily those who are economically challenged, although that is very often a very real dimension of what we call poverty. As Blessed Teresa of Calcutta used to say, perhaps the greatest poverty in the world is to be found among the wealthy nations of the West, for we often are spiritually empty. Having many earthly distractions and opportunities, it is tempting to push God to the edge of our lives and to ignore our own vulnerability and dependence, that "holy-longing" which God alone can satisfy.

Certainly, material poverty is a continuing tragedy and challenge for us, especially those of us who live in relative comfort. Consider, for example, the alarming truth that 1 billion people (about one-sixth of the world's population) are hungry each day. Six million children die of starvation each day. Clearly, Advent and Christmas invite us to open our minds and hearts to the Lord's presence in the poor: They have gifts to share with us and we need to share with them blessings we have received.

Advent: A season of attentiveness to the poor

During these days of Advent, it is good for us to reflect on the powerful Scriptures in the Lectionary for weekdays and weekends. For much of this season, we hear from the prophet Isaiah. Preaching 700 years before Christ, this great prophet proclaimed a message that still has relevance today: The nearness of God challenges us to a greater sensitivity to the needs of others. As the Lord comes to meet us, we should be looking for Him in and among the lowly and marginalized, the forgotten, the hungry, and the stranger.

During these weeks of Advent, we are also given St. John the Baptist as a model. Like Isaiah, his voice and the witness of his simple lifestyle challenges us to hear God's Word and then to put into action. St. John invites all of us to some new conversion — a greater turning toward the Lord and away from the vanity of this world. He challenges us to take more time for prayer and, as we listen to the Lord, our conscience will lead us toward deeds of charity and justice — with our family and co-workers, and even toward strangers in need.

At this time of year, most of us are thinking about gifts we will exchange with other relatives and close friends. It is also good and necessary for us to consider the gift we might want to make to a group that works with the poor — perhaps donating to one of the many soup kitchens in our metro area, making a contribution to St. Vincent de Paul Society, or other groups that offer food or clothing to people in need. In The Michigan Catholic, you will also see opportunities for Adopt-a-Family. A wonderful way to prepare for Christmas would be to take the time to be with the poor in a setting of social service, getting to know and understand them as our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The poverty of our world is often to be found among the chronically ill and the elderly who live alone, as well as those in settings of assisted living or nursing homes. Would it not be a powerful act of faith and love to set aside "shopping time" and go instead to be with a relative or neighbor who might have very few visitors? Christmas cards and greetings are a beautiful tradition but there is nothing like person-to-person contact. Many aspects of the Christmas story remind us of the value and beauty of times spent with others such as Mary's visitation to her cousin Elizabeth and the journeys of the shepherds and the Magi.

Evangelization: Sharing our bread

Even if our circumstances do not permit us to be actively or directly in contact with "the poor," we can certainly pray for them and be conscious of the hunger and pain of countless people, near and far. Our adoration of the Christ Child should naturally overflow into greater sympathy and compassion for any and all in need.

It has often been said that evangelization can be compared to two beggars sharing bread. The one who preaches the Word of Jesus Christ and the one who receives the Word of Jesus Christ are truly breaking bread out of their mutual poverty. At Christmas we celebrate the Word made flesh and the fact that Jesus came to nourish all people in body and spirit. Good News to the poor is lived out in and through our celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and through that mystery, we find new reason and energy to feed the hungers of others.

During these days of Advent, precisely as we are tempted to be preoccupied, even overwhelmed, with the fast-approaching festivities of Christmas, it is important to remember why Christ came — to be Good News for the poor! May we recognize our own poverty and hunger for His Word and then, in turn, be generous in bringing good news to our relatives and all in need. As we do so, the peace and joy of Christmas will begin to dawn upon us and through us … and the work of evangelization will have happened in its own mysterious but powerful way!

As I conclude this column, I also draw to completion this year-long reflection on the many ways evangelization should be a vital priority in our lives — in our hearts, in our families and parishes, and as an archdiocese. I hope and pray that some to the seeds I have planted will bear fruit and mature in your minds and hearts in the years to come. May we truly come to know the Lord Jesus and allow Him to use us to proclaim His abiding presence until that day we are all one with Him in the Kingdom. For now, let us live in the spirit of Advent expectation, attentive to the Lord's presence in our own poverty and the poverty of all we meet.

Sincerely yours in the Lord,

†Adam Cardinal Maida
Archbishop of Detroit