By: Fr. Orly Mendoza / Bicol Peryodiko
In our present societies, like in past societies, the poor are always given the least importance. They do not have much influence on society and its governance. They are usually voiceless and often ignored. The rich, the powerful, and the famous, on the other hand, have great influence in society and run the world. They have the last say in every major decision in the country and are well respected and honored.
In Jesus’ time, it was different. Jesus gave much more importance to the poor, the last, the least, and the lost. These people were the focus of the mission of the Messiah as it is clearly stated in the gospel, quoting the book of the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me, to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Lk 1:18 & 19). Consequently, Jesus exerted much of His efforts in His salvific ministry to those people.
This does not mean that the Lord never gave importance to the rich, the famous, and the powerful. No! For the Lord, everybody was important. However, these people are privileged because of the things that they possess and these privileges demand an obligation on their part to take good care of the poor and the less privileged. The problem is that instead of fulfilling their social responsibility to the poor, the privileged people are abusing the less privileged ones and even ignoring their needs. For this reason, God has pitied them and sent the Messiah to take care of them and liberate the whole of humanity from sinfulness and selfishness.
Jesus went far from treating the poor with special concern. He even united Himself with them by becoming one of them. Instead of being born in a palace of a royal, rich, and famous family, Jesus chose to be born in a manger of a poor and unknown family of Mary and Joseph. He was born poor in a manger; He lived His life in poverty; He died poor on the cross; and He was buried in a borrowed tomb. He lived in simplicity and He had nothing.
Living in poverty, Jesus taught us to give less importance to material things and to focus more on spiritual things. While material things and this earthly world will vanish, spiritual things and heaven are forever. While life here on earth is temporary, life in heaven or hell is eternal. Yes. In the second life, there is either heaven or hell for us: heaven for those who fulfill God’s will and hell for those who reject God in their lives.
The devils are actively working in this world to lure us to the pleasures of this world and the enjoyment of material things so that we may become blind to the glory of heaven. Many fall to these temptations so that they focus more on worldly things and life than on spiritual things and God. They then ignore faith and religion and accumulate money and properties as if they only have one life, the earthly life. They forget that earthly life is only a foretaste of heavenly life which is eternal.
Jesus did not fall into the temptations of Satan. He rejected Satan by denying the desires of His human flesh through His fasting and prayers. He surrendered His life to God and let Him be moved by the Holy Spirit in all His earthly endeavors. His food was to do the will of His Heavenly Father. Consequently, He did all things for the glory of God and in the service of others, especially the needy.
As Christians, followers of Christ, we must beware of the temptations of the devils and fight their allurements because they only want us to be separated from God. We must cling to Jesus through prayers and assistance to the Holy Mass, especially on Sundays and holy days of obligations because only with Jesus can we defeat the devils. Moreover, we must live the life of Christ, living in simplicity and taking care of the needy and the helpless because they are our brothers and sisters in one God who is our Father. May we never ignore the poor and the least but rather do our best to help them because Jesus Christ, our Savior, lives in them as He said: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).
