Ma. Recy M. Pia BSA-2 MWF 4:30-5:30 P.M.

January 18,2020

PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE

PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING

In a world where we see deepening divisions between rich and poor, the powerful and the
powerless, the Catholic tradition reminds us that as a Christian we need to embrace and put the
poor as a priority issue that needs to be dealt with. This principle indicates our obligation and
responsibility, first and foremost to care for the poor and vulnerable. As Jesus himself, cited in
Matthew 25, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.” This means that the people
we serve who are poor and vulnerable are in fact face of Christ which is quite inspiring and we
can learn a lot from them.

EXAMPLES:

As I think of someone who would clearly represent this principle, I have remembered St.
Francis of Assisi. For me this story of his has broken down certain barrier that few of us are
capable of.

The story of St. Francis and the Lepers. Lepers in that time are people who are often
separated from the society for the reason that they have communicable and contagious disease.
There is also a stigma during that time that once infected by leprosy that person shall be thrown
unto a certain cave in the Assisi together with others infected and shall presumed dead by other
people. The lepers also have experience discrimination in a sense that they have bells unto their
feet that would ring everytime they walk. One day St. Francis was riding his horse when he
encountered a leper, just like everyone else’ he too was afraid of them but as he saw the man his
heart swells and he realized that in order to be closer to God or to fully accept Christ in his life he
need to embrace different multitudes of people including those excluded and forgotten by the
society. Thus he huged and kissed the leper to more like console the man of his worries and fear.

PASTORAL CYCLE

In relation to the pastoral cycle of See-Judge-Act I do believe that we experience this in

our daily lives seeing other people sleeping in the streets, begging for money, asking for water
and asking for food. I know that we find it hard to believe on certain reasons provided by them
because we don’t

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Personal take on unto this principle is to never hesitate to help and extend our hands
towards those in need.