Solidarity with the poor

Solidarity with the Poor…

“We are disciples of Christ, the Poor, to whom we radically witness by our simple and flexible life style and in our solidarity with the poor.”

Solidarity is best described by an Australian aboriginal woman when asked about assistance to the poor. 

“If you have come to help me,

You are wasting your time.

But if you have come,

Because your liberation is bound up with mine,

Then let us work together.”

Our discipleship of Christ the Poor and our radical witnessing is, in fact, bound up with the liberation of the whole person and all men and women.  This is solidarity that involves the whole person and all.

Solidarity is becoming part of the historical movement giving birth to a new life…

·      to end suffering from injustice everywhere,

·      to stand with those who are oppressed,

·      to be beside them in the struggle for justice

·      to fight with them NOT for them.

The Jesus Paradigm

1.     God’s love is fully revealed in Jesus Christ – life death and resurrection.

            Kenosis – Phil. 2: 5-11:

 “Have this mind among you yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with Gid a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being in the likeness of men, and being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death , even death on a cross.”

            In our being disciples of Jesus Christ, the question asked in not HOW?  This provides an escape from the clear call of following and obedience and of standing naked before the Lord and allowing Jesus to interpret us…!

2.     Discipleship and adherence to Christ.  Adherence is sharing in Jesus’ death and resurrection – the logic of Calvary.  In fact, when Jesus calls… it means come and die with me.  Yes, it is an invitation to martyrdom. 

            Old person giving way to the new person in Christ

            Old wine and wineskins to new wine and wineskins

            Death to Resurrection.

3.  Transcendence as manifested at his Transfiguration is an invitation to Going Beyond, that is,  to become bigger,  greater and larger!  Liberation from parochialism, provincialism and sin… To be totally  persons for others!

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

#Badaliyya-Philippines

August 14, 2019