BE THERE FOR THE POOR ALWAYS
(Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 113, 1 Timothy 2: 1-8, Luke 16: 1-13)
The readings of today call on us to use our goods to serve the poor people in our society. The entire scriptures have the poor at heart, and invite us to show much love and concern to them in society. All our activities as believers should be geared toward the wellbeing of the marginalised in our society. Our focus should not be about exploiting the less and privilege to amass wealth. Our material things must be used to serve others. People must benefit from what we have. Love and care for the poor was very central in the ministry of Jesus. He always encouraged his followers to take care of the poor among them. People who are generous to the poor and needy in our societies receive a lot of blessings and favours from God.
The first reading from the prophet Amos is also called the book of “social injustice”. In other words, the prophet was fighting for social justice among his people, hence he is popularly referred to as the prophet of social justice. The environment of his time was one of corrupt practices and social injustices in Israel which included the leadership of God’s people. He stood against these practices and asked the people to turn away from these evil practices. The rich were exploiting the poor to become richer. The poor continued to be powerless whiles the rich became more powerful. In fact, they did not regard the poor people at all. They considered them to be less humans. They treated them like rags which are less important according to their standards.
The Old Testament is full of calls to care for the poor. Even during harvest, they were not to exhaust all the farm produce on the farm because of the poor among them (Lev. 10:19, 23: 22). The left-overs were to be for the poor and the less privilege in their midst. A lot of laws were made to protect the poor from the oppression of the rich. The poor were very dear to God because they were the voiceless, less important and disregarded among His people. Hence the need to always speak on their behalf through His prophets.
The gospel passage seems to encourage wrong doing if one does not comprehend the message of Christ well. In a nut shell, Jesus tells us that we are “shrewd” if we use the goods of this world to help others. In this way we acquire the only thing that counts, the friendship of the poor. Shrewdness implies being good at judging people or situations or showing and possessing, intelligence, insight and sound judgement. The action of the steward morally is wrong but Jesus wants us to learn something from it. This was a steward who was not faithful to his master. In fact, he was wasting the goods of his master. In order to have the favour of his master’s debtors, he decided to reduce the amount and the things they owe his master. Someone will say that this steward was very smart. It is his ability to turn things around in favour of others and himself is what Jesus wants us to learn. Of course, Jesus is not telling us that we should use foul means to live our lives as Christians. These people who were owing his master may be some of them could not have paid him as demanded. This people might have ended up in jail if he didn’t help them out. He saw himself in the position to help them so that they don’t land in trouble. The goods were not for him anyway, but that didn’t prevent him from helping those people from whom most might be poor people. He used his power as a steward to help others. Jesus invites us to be faithful to material things which have been entrusted to us. To be faithful here means we need to share with others.
Charity is a Christian virtue that Christ emphasised so much in His teachings in the gospels. He entreats us to love one another as He Himself showed by His example on the cross. To love is to care for one another; and that involves the use of our resources to serve God and humanity. We cannot say we love God and neighbour, if we are afraid to let others benefit from our resources. In any case, the resources we have, whether material or non- material are gifts from God. It is through the grace of God that we have these resources. It is our duty even if they are not much to share with others. Sharing is a big problem for some of us when it comes to letting others benefit from our resources. We become so possessive to the neglect of others.
The case of oppression of the poor is not different in our days. The poor continue to be poorer whiles the rich continue to be richer. The system has been created in such a way that it does not favour the poor people in anyway. In our law court, it is difficult for a poor person to win a court case. Even properties which belongs to them are being taken away through the law court by the rich. They have no one to fight for them in such places. Some do not even have money to go to court and get lawyers to fight on their behalf. Most of them have lost valuable properties because of their status in life. Their children are not able to attend the best schools we have because they do not have money and are powerless. They have no influence anywhere. Their children are jobless because they have no money to pay bribe or they have no one to connect them. Some of them have completed higher institutions but for years they are still roaming about. Such people if they were from rich homes, they would have been working long time. But who will help them? Some of us are really using our positions to oppress the less privilege in our societies. The ministers of God are not left out in this situation. Some of them have no time at all for the poor in our churches. They are always in hurry to attend to the rich people in our churches. But when it comes to ministering to the poor, they feel reluctant to go. Why, because they will not get the envelopes and other favours as they get from the rich. Some priests don’t even want to mingle with the poor people because they have nothing to offer him. The priests must be there for all and not for some favoured ones. God is watching all of us and one day He will fight for them. “The Lord truly hears the cry of the Poor” Psalm 34.
The acts of cheating have become food for all of us. Go to the market and see how traders and others are cheating our farmers. Because they know that the farmers had no choice than to sell and get the money for their survival, they cheat them to the extent that sometimes some of us become so sad when we encounter such situations. Some of us will also buy goods and sell it even more than 200%. We want to use people to build mansions overnight. But the point is where are you carrying all these possessions to? Some of us are spending some monies which are supposed to be for some poor people. Upon all the money we have, the little one of your brothers or sisters is what you are still jealous of. People have worked so hard and the wages or salaries that you have to give to them, you are still deducting something small from it. Some directors of institutions take percentages before they will sign documents for people to go and withdraw their back-pay. It is very pathetic. Some peoples’ salaries have intentionally been blocked only for others to enjoy it. Simply because these people are powerless in such situations. Some of us also use our positions to maltreat others, because they are our subjects. You talk to them anyhow, behave anyhow to them. Some of us enjoy it when everyday people come to us to beg. Because we are the bosses and they are nothing. But do not forget that tables can turn ok. You may be there today, but tomorrow it might be that person. Treat people well because you do not know their tomorrow. That poor person may suffer today but one day God will speak for him. It is just a matter of time.
The poor will always be with us, hence the need to treat them very well. God is calling us to be the voice of the voiceless, provide home to the homeless, feed the hungry and be there always for them. We are to treat them well, because they are also human beings like you. It is a privilege that you have made it in life and they are where they are. Don’t look down upon them because of your status in society. If they had the opportunities that you had maybe they would have been better than you.
Poor people are not accursed as some of us may think. It is our duty to also help them to come out of such situations. If they also make it in life through your help, I don’t think they will always come and “worry” you. Some people have done this and they are happy because others are happy because of them. God’s favour will never miss out on such people. Let us avoid exploiting the poor to amass wealth instead of helping them. May God grant us the grace to live out this Christian calling. AMEN.
Help the poor. Do not exploit them. Care for everybody.
Have a blessed Sunday And a happy week ahead!
Rev. Fr.Akakpo Matthew
