Yesterday, June 13, the Pope presented his Message for this First Day. The message is articulated in two parts, emphasized Msgr. Rino Fisichella, Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, in a press conference.
Inspired by the call of the psalm, the first message states: "The poor shout and the Lord listens." (Ps 34: 7); in other words, the cry of the poor cannot leave the Church indifferent, which is, instead, called upon to write new pages in which "the imagination of Christian charity" must emerge to match the pages of the many saints of the past.
The second part of his message refers to a term that is very fashionable today, but brought back to its original meaning: "sharing", a sharing not limited to extemporaneous gestures, but which must touch the existence of the poor and those who help in a truly profound fashion: a sharing "that becomes a lifestyle".
"The Pope calls for all Christians to become aware of the need to find and touch Christ via the flesh of the poor," concluded Msgr. José Octavio Ruiz Arenas, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization. Because without the preferential option for the poor, "the announcement of the Gospel, which is also the first form of charity, may be misunderstood or drowned in that vast sea of words which today's society of communication exposes us to on a daily basis."
As practical gestures of love to the poor, the Pope suggests some to be carried out on World Day: asking Christians and parishes to create "moments of encounter and friendship, solidarity and concrete help"; inviting the poor and volunteers to participate together at Sunday Eucharist; and to welcome them as "privileged guests to share our meals at our own tables."
The full text of the Papal Message is availble on the Holy See webiste.
