1. Chapter 6

2. Meditative Prayer The Cry of the Poor

4. Main Idea The Church gives preferential treatment to the most poor and vulnerable in society. All Christians are called to the “poverty of spirit” described in the first Beatitude, with complete dependence on God for all their needs.

5. Objectives Explain the fourth CST of “preferential option for the poor” Different types of poverty – poverty of the soul, material poverty, poverty of addiction, and poverty of spirit. Brokenness of the world shows our need for Jesus Christ and the graces of Redemption.

7. Summary Material poverty is often marked by a lack of food, shelter, or safe drinking water, or by insufficient access to health care. The materially poor have a special consideration in the Christian community, as those who suffer from the poverty of addiction and poverty of spirit. All Christians share a common responsibility to care for the poor.

8. Poverty of Spirit All Christians are called to a “poverty of spirit” – realizing that we are all completely dependent on God; we are called to “empty” ourselves – by giving ourselves to others, especially those who are in need (cf. Phil. 2:7): – “[Christ] emptied (kenosis) himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross.” A voluntary choice of living a simple life or a generosity, in imitation of Christ, in solidarity with people suffering from material or spiritual poverty

9. Evangelii Gaudium, par. 198 -- Pope Francis “For the Church, the option for the poor is primarily a theological category rather than a cultural, sociological, political or philosophical one. God shows the poor “his first mercy”. This divine preference has consequences for the faith life of all Christians, since we are called to have “this mind… which was in Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:5). Inspired by this, the Church has made an option for the poor which is understood as a “special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness”. This option – as Benedict XVI has taught – “is implicit in our Christian faith in a God who became poor for us, so as to enrich us with his poverty”. This is why I want a Church which is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us. Not only do they share in the sensus fidei, but in their difficulties they know the suffering Christ. We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to acknowledge the saving power at work in their lives and to put them at the centre of the Church’s pilgrim way. We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them. “

12. Bible Search: Option for the Poor

14. The Bible and Poverty: Objectives Ways that God instructed the Israelites to treat the less fortunate with justice. Christ taught others to care for the poor and vulnerable by word and example. Christ lived a life of poverty.

16. Summary God requires that his people serve the poor in all of poverty’s various forms The Old Testament shows that during the Sabbatical Year – the land was not farmed, debts were forgiven, and slaves were freed; during the Jubilee Year indentured servants were freed and land was restored to its rightful owners These reminded the Israelites that all they came from God and their obligation to care for the poor and oppressed. Prophets were sent to remind the Israelites of this duty. By becoming man, Jesus lived a life of poverty and lowliness – associating with the poor and outcast. At the Parable of the Last Judgment, Christ reminds all that when we serve the poor, we serve Him (Mt. 25:31-46)*

17. Parable of the Rich Young Man Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man Parable of the Rich Fool Parable of the Sheep and Goats

18. Scandal of World Hunger: Objectives Scope of hunger and malnourishment in the world Factors contributing to world hunger Responding to problem of hunger through efforts for justice and individual life changes.

21. Under-five mortality rate Probability of dying between birth and exactly five years of age expressed per 1,000 live births. GNI per capita Gross national income (GNI) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Adult literacy rate Percentage of persons aged 15 and over who can read and write. Net primary school enrolment/attendance Derived from net primary school enrolment rates as reported by UNESCO/UIS (UNESCO Institute of Statistics) and from national household survey reports of attendance at primary school. Income share Percentage of income received by the 20 per cent of households with the highest income and by the 40 per cent of households with the lowest income. Infant mortality rate Probability of dying between birth and exactly one year of age expressed per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth The number of years newborn children would live if subject to the mortality risks prevailing for the cross-section of population at the time of their birth.

24. Summary Feeding the hungry is a demand of being a Christian, especially because those who hunger in the world are often the most vulnerable in society – children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, the sick the elderly, refugees, and the victims of political turmoil. Hunger occurs both through starvation and malnutrition. This is a scandal because the world produces enough food for everyone. Four primary causes: corruption, foreign loans, land degradation, and politics. Alleviating world hunger  changing the culture of waste; direct aid to the poor through the principle of subsidiarity Early Christian practice involved bringing food to the poor after they gather for the Eucharist – having been fed by Christ, his followers were obligated to feed others.

25. Extra Credit: Fasting for the Day

26. Agree of Disagree “Feed the man dying of hunger, because if you have not fed him, you have killed him.”

27. What you can do for World Hunger: A Self Examination Open Page 186

28. Working to End Poverty: Objectives Corporal and Spiritual Work of Mercy Almsgiving and Justice Universal destination of goods and private property Role of evangelization in serving the poor

30. Summary The traditional works of mercy provide a succinct outline for Christians about how to treat others. The works of mercy meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the human person Corporal Works of Mercy: Clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the imprisoned, bury the dead Spiritual Works of Mercy: Forgive all injuries, counsel the doubtful, admonish a sinner, instruct the ignorant, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, pray for the living and the dead

31. Summary Almsgiving and the principle of the universal destination of goods are central to eliminating poverty. The universal destination of goods teaches that the goods of the earth should be divided to ensure the basic human needs of people; it does not negate the right of private property, but encourages people to give their resources to the less fortunate. We evangelize when we bring the presence of Christ through our words or actions.

32. Puzzle Activity

33. Matthew’s Closet is a diocesan–parish supported clothing ministry of Corpus Christi Church in the Diocese of Rochester, New York whose mission is to provide clothing to those in need without regard to their ability to pay. During a recent year they distributed approximately 24,000 articles of clothing, bedding and housewares to some 3,500 men, women and children.

34. CRS Rice Bowl CRS Rice Bowl is Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten faith-in-action program for parishes, schools and families. The program invites Catholics to live in solidarity with our poorest and most vulnerable brothers and sisters through the three Lenten pillars of praying, fasting, and almsgiving. Rice Bowl asks us to: Pray to deepen our relationship with God and reflect on what type of person He calls us to be. Fast to remove the things that get between us and God and to live in solidarity with those in need. Give alms to our brothers and sisters in need, honoring Jesus’ call to serve our neighbors.

35. Catholic Relief Services

36. Poverty and You: Objectives Responding to God’s call to serve the poor All we have is from God and that we are all stewards Receiving the Eucharist and commitment to the poor

37. Summary “Serving the poor” should be a concrete reality for every Christian – grounded in the simplicity of life and moderation of goods, as we are simply stewards of our possessions. “Wealth does not provide absolute security and that poverty is not always a hopeless and permanent condition.” One’s participation in the gift of the Eucharist compels us to serve Christ in the least of his people.

38. Blessed Mother Teresa Handout 6E

39. Discussion: Live for Others Handout 6D

40. Taking down Poverty: One Toy Block At A Time