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World Day of the Poor

This Sunday is the 7th annual World Day of the Poor, an annual observance of the universal Church. This year, the Vatican has chosen a verse from the Book of Tobit as the theme: Do Not Turn Your Face Away from Anyone Who is Poor.

Notes

  • November 19, 2023, will mark the Seventh Annual World Day of the Poor. This is a day when Catholics throughout the world are called to greater solidarity with the poor near and far.
  • The theme for World Day of the Poor 2023 is a passage from the Book of Tobit: "Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor." "When we encounter a poor person, we cannot look away, for that would prevent us from encountering the face of the Lord Jesus"
  • We are living in times that are not particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor. The pressure to adopt an affluent lifestyle increases, while the voices of those dwelling in poverty tend to go unheard. We are inclined to neglect anything that varies from the model of life set before the younger generation, those who are most vulnerable to the cultural changes now taking place. We disregard anything that is unpleasant or causes suffering, and exalt physical qualities as if they were the primary goal in life. Virtual reality is overtaking real life, and increasingly the two worlds blend into one. The poor become a film clip that can affect us for a moment, yet when we encounter them in flesh and blood on our streets, we are annoyed and look the other way. Haste, by now the daily companion of our lives, prevents us from stopping to help care for others. The parable of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37) is not simply a story from the past; it continues to challenge each of us in the here and now of our daily lives. It is easy to delegate charity to others, yet the calling of every Christian is to become personally involved.