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We have
seen that it is our Christian responsibility to care for the
poor – now the question arises as to who the poor really is. It
is evident that the question of poverty is a relative one. The
standard of life of the poor people of a backward nation can be
much lower than that of the poor of an effluent nation. There
is no general standard for poverty applicable to all countries
alike. Yet we may say, with a measure of justification that the
poor are those who cannot afford their food, clothing, and
housing. These are the basic needs of man, below which one can
lead only a miserable existence. Leaving apart the general
considerations, we must look into our own neighborhood, find the
needy there and help them. God’s poor, for us to help, is our
own poor and needy neighbour.
The
well-known story of the “Good Samaritan”, Jesus told, explains
the principle outlined above (Lk. 10:29-37). Once a lawyer of
the Jews approached Jesus and asked him in return as to what the
concerned commandment in the Law was. And the lawyer answered,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with
all your soul, and with all your strength, l and with all your
mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Lk. 10:27). Now Jesus
instructed him to go back and to do likewise. Then he raised
the doubt, “who is my neighbour”? And the story was told in
reply to his question.
A man was
going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. On his way he was beset
by robbers who man-handled him robbed him of his possessions and
left him on the road half- dead. The road from Jerusalem to
Jericho was desolate the rocky, notoriously infested with
robbers. When the traveler was lying
there a priest came that way. On seeing the wounded traveler
the priest passed him by on the other side. Likewise a Levite,
who passed that way went away without bringing any help to the
afflicted man. Lastly, a Samaritan reached the spot in the
course of his journey. When he saw the wounded traveler he took
pity on him. He got down from his ass, approached the man and
bound up his wounds pouring on oil and wine. He then set him on
his own beast and brought him to an inn to take care of him.
The next day the Samaritan said good-bye to the man. Paying two
denarii's to the inn-keeper he asked him to take good care of
the suffering traveler. He promised that he would pay the rest,
if any, on his way back. Now Jesus asked the lawyer as to who
of the three, proved neighbour to the man who was attacked by
the robbers. He replied that it was the one who had showed
mercy to him. In the same way the poor for us are the most
needy in our own immediate neighborhood.
These days
there are so many organizations which undertake humanitarian
activities. Many of them do meritorious services to the poor
and the suffering people. Some of our Christian brethren
associate themselves with those organizations and render their
services. Apart from that each one of us can be a good
neighbour. You need not go in search of the poor to any where
else. He is just by your side. He needs your help. Do not pass
him by, with your eyes closed. Do whatever little service you
can do to him. He is nobody else but your own Lord in the form
of the poor and the afflicted. Your can be his good neighbour
when he is in need of you. |
