Monday of the
First Week of Lent
(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25:31-46)
Mother Teresa often called the poor “Jesus in
disguise.” Her reason for doing so can
be found in today’s gospel. Jesus
himself identifies with the hungry, the sick, and the imprisoned. The poor certainly suffer a disproportionate
incidence of these conditions.
But often in economically advanced societies the poor are
well overweight. They eat too much of
the wrong foods, and they do not get enough exercise. What can be done for them? Certainly people can model healthy eating and
exercise habits and also encourage the poor to follow them. Advertising paid with public funds might also
remind people of a healthy lifestyle.
Public policy that provide opportunities for the poor to improve their
living habits may be crafted as well.
Above all, we must identify with the poor. We not only have to see them as like Jesus
but as our brothers and sisters. Then
with both our physical and creative resources engaged, we will work out ways
that will remove them from jeopardy. In
these ways we will find ourselves called into the Father’s kingdom.
