Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Today’s first reading and psalm put a special focus on the poor. In his letter, James remarks, “Show no partiality” between the rich and the poor. He follows this statement with a rebuke for those who judge or deal harshly with the poor. The point he is clearly trying to convey is that the poor are equal to the rich in the eyes of God and thus in the eyes of the Church.

I do not believe I would be being presumptuous in saying that we all already know this. Many of us would even be able to easily say why: the poor and the rich share the same human nature and human dignity, both are made in the image and after the likeness of God. That is what gives them equal rights. Truly, the only thing that differentiates the poor and the rich are that the rich have an abundance of wealth and the poor have an abundance of perspective.

Perspective: the poor have a unique perspective, a twofold view that allows them to be “rich in faith,” as St. James says.

The first part of this perspective is that the poor realize they are living the basic human experience. What they have is what every human has, everything else that others may have is gift. Realizing this, the poor do not claim a right to own things, nor do they opine that they deserve things. No, rather the poor have the proper view, that everything is ultimately a gift from God.

The second part of the poor person’s perspective comes from their complete reliance on the Lord. They have nothing else on which to rely. No savings account, no home, no investments, nothing. Their one and only security is the Lord, whom they must trust to take care of them, for they cannot take care of themselves. And this, this poverty of spirit, is what makes them “heirs to the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:1; James 2:5)

My friends in Christ, as we continue to draw closer to the Lord, let us imitate the poor in their perspective, recognizing our own spiritual poverty and flinging ourselves at the feet of the Lord, trusting that He will do everything for us.

Reflection by Robert, seminarian