POOR, POVERTY

• We can see lord in the laughter of the poor.

• “I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the
lord himself is it not a beautiful thing?” Mother Teresa
• People in need , the vast majority.
• Suppressed people - who are pushed to this state because of various reasons like
inequality in all terms.
• Poverty is not presented as sinful in scripture.
 JESUS WITH POOR
• Major message of NT and Jesus Christ is that “humanity should do all that it can to help the
poor”
• His teachings can be universally applied to many areas of life, including removing the
suffering of millions of poor around the world.
• Jesus was born in manger (Luke 2:7). He did not lead a wealthy life.
“But the son of man has nowhere to lay his head” Matthew 8:20
“But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” Philippians 2:7
• Jesus had care and concern for the marginalized.
• Redemption for the poor was part of god’s plan through messiah.
• Jesus equalized serving or neglecting poor to serving or neglecting god.
•
• Nazareth manifesto - “the spirit of the lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good
news to the poor.” Luke 4:16-19
• Parable of wedding banquet (Luke 14:12-14) “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame , and the blind.
And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you” all are invited to the kingdom of god there
is no exclusion for poor and marginalized.
• Luke 6: 20 “blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of god.”
• “Truly I tell you just as you did it to one of the least of these who are the members of the family you
did it to me” Mat 25:40
• “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor had good news brought to them.” Mat 11:4
• The appreciation of poor widow’s offering by Jesus – (Mark 12:41-44) “ for all of them have
contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she
had to live on.”
 WEALTH/ MAMMON
• Wealth can become a stumbling block to reach to God. It should not be worshipped or turn as our master.
• When the disciples followed Jesus, they voluntarily left their material goods to follow him
• wealthy individuals like Zacchaeus and Joseph of Arimathea followed Jesus.
• The parable of rich man and Lazarus gives the message that worldly and earthly possessions are of no benefit
in the after life. Those who have suffered on earth will receive their reward in heaven. (Luke 16:19-31)
• The parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21) reminds us to store treasures in heaven and not in earth. The
wealth should be given away and used to help those in need and not stored up.
• Importance of sharing is marked in the conversation with the rich man (Mark 10:17-31) “ go, sell what you
own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven”
• “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom
of God” (Mark 10:25)
 REFLECTION
❖ Jesus and poor have formed an alliance against their common enemy : mammon/
wealth
❖ We are called to help the poor.
❖ It may be a simple encouraging word, a smile or an act of kindness.
❖ Or may be god may call us to take up the cause of the needy by
defending their rights.
❖ When we care for the poor, we follow the footprints of Jesus
and imitate him and could do an effective ministry.