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| Cebu devastated after a recent typhoon |
My headline today shares the words of a Filipina, speaking at a Caritas International event, held at COP30, currently continuing in Brazil. Having experienced devastating typhoons herself, her words come straight from the heart. What has befallen her country is beyond comprehension and just keeps happening, while the world keeps watching, while maybe even admiring how resilient are the people facing such human tragedies. Is this our excuse? Is this how we comfort ourselves from afar?
Today's reflection arises because this Sunday, in the church, was World Sunday of the Poor, which featured a message from Pope Leo, in which he made two clear and chilling statements..
"The poor are not recipients of our pastoral care, but creative subjects who challenge us".
"Helping the poor is a matter of justice before a question of charity".
Leo names it for what it is. The poor are not written away by our simply offering help or by our admiring how they manage in the midst of tragedy and suffering. Leo made another statement which stays with me - "Wealth disappoints".
Money and projects alone are not the answer. Both keep rolling out, going seemingly nowhere. I am no expert on love and its practice. Like everyone else, I am a practitioner of love, and, like everyone else, I pass and fail. The fact is that, rich and poor, no matter who we are, we are all in this thing, called 'life', together. We belong together and we will get through it together. The further my life journey takes me, the more clearly I see that.
Was this not a lesson of Covid? Seemingly not, as our world becomes more crazy and more disconnected. Life is not an 'everyone for themselves' event. Ultimately, we are 'the same, but different', as a Thai t-shirt reads. Dignity belongs to all. We all participate in the wonders and joys of life, not just in its miseries. It is not about resilience, but about being human together.
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