18.11.2019
Poverty About More Than Material Things – World Day of the Poor at Christ Church
World Day of the Poor was marked in Christ Church Cathedral for the first time yesterday (Sunday November 17). Gathered around the Homeless Jesus statue in the cathedral grounds, the congregation prayed for the poor and for those who experience injustice and pledged to be the bearers of Christ’s light in the midst of pain and brokenness.
The service in Dublin was part of a wave of events in more than 40 cities around the world where casts of the Homeless Jesus statue are located. The initiative was sparked by the statue’s sculptor, Timothy Schamlz, who hoped that the events would inspire people to take concrete action to serve the poor. Members of the congregation presented donations of non perishable food for homelessness charity, Mendicity.
The gathering around the statue was followed by Choral Evensong in the cathedral. The sermon was preached by the Very Revd John Collins who serves on the board of Mendicity, or the Mendo as it is known in Dublin. He said that the word ‘poor’ was emotionally loaded. Many hearing it thought of images from television following a disaster or of people sleeping on the streets.
“These are clear examples of poverty and they are visible qualities of what it means to be poor. However, we all experience poverty in some shape. It’s usually hidden or secret,” he said citing long term illness, loneliness, being ignored or dismissed because of race, gender or religious beliefs as symptoms which can all lead to poverty.
He commented that sometimes strength was difficult to muster and our inner poverty was hard to bear but that was the time to reach out to God. “Jesus does not save us from our pain or poverty, he saves us through our pain or poverty,” he said.
Fr Collins suggested doing research to see what the needs of the poor are and to find how to serve them. “Poverty is not simple. It is not just about material things. When the human spirit has no worth or say about how life is lived, we need to be committed to seeing long lasting local change. When disasters strike we need to work on protecting the most vulnerable in our world. When there is kindness and love, there is God,” he stated.
The World Day of the Poor is an annual observance, established by Pope Francis and first observed in 2017.The theme of World Day of the Poor this year was drawn from Psalm 9:18 – ‘For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever’.
The Homeless Jesus sculpture at Christ Church Cathedral was dedicated in May 2015 by the Church of Ireland and Catholic archbishops of Dublin. The work, located in the grounds, is a 7ft cast bronze park bench, depicting Christ hidden under blankets. His identity is revealed only by the holes in his feet. It was donated to the city by an anonymous benefactor and was the first sculpture to be installed outside North America. It is now one of over 100 worldwide.
The Mendicity Institution is the oldest working charity in Dublin. Established in 1818, it has been in operation for over 200 years creating opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, isolation and marginalization to live better lives.