Christians are called to confront poverty, to touch it, to make it their own and take practical steps to alleviate it.

One of the renunciations Jesus requested of his disciples is that of earthly goods, especially wealth. This request is directed to all Christians. It concerns the spirit of poverty, that is, the interior detachment from earthly goods which makes them generous in sharing these goods with others.

It is a spirit, valid to all, which also demands a certain practice of it in conformity with the Gospel. Every Christian is called to renounce earthly goods corresponding to their condition both in civil life and their state in the Church by virtue of the Christian vocation, both as an individual and as a determinate group of people. Faithfulness to the spirit, however, does not require of Christians in general the practice of a radical poverty with the renunciation of all property or the abolition of this human right.

The Gospel poverty, in fact, entails no disdain for earthly goods, which God has put at man’s disposal for his life and his cooperation in the plan of creation. According to the Second Vatican Council, in line with his mission of praise and thanksgiving, the Christian must acknowledge and glorify the generosity of the heavenly Father who is revealed in created goods.

We might have hidden idols because of our attachment to money, luxury or certain habits

In his first Lenten message, Pope Francis says that while Jesus made himself poor, he did not seek poverty for its own sake. His poverty reflects God’s logic of love for mankind. It is a poverty aimed at freeing and enriching every human being. The Holy Father stresses that, in imitation of their Master, Christians are called to confront the poverty of their brothers and sisters, to touch it, to make it their own and to take practical steps to alleviate it.

Those who lack basic rights and needs such as food, water, hygiene, work and the opportunity to develop and grow culturally, quickly spring to mind. There are also the victims of violations of human dignity, discrimination, persecution and abuse in the world. The list further includes those suffering from unjust social conditions, unemployment, lack of equal access to education and health care, and the misery of alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography.

Our society is aware of the need to respond to such problems in its midst and, as much as possible, elsewhere. Its efforts to provide all possible material help to those who need it and to also voice concern in international fora about destitution wherever it exists, are well known. Moreover, many are those in these islands who are also very happy to come forward with alms from their abundance out of a sense of altruism and piety.

Notwithstanding, when we scratch under the surface of the evidence of this relatively rich sense of solidarity in our country and among our people, we are bound to also find a number of individual behaviours that impoverish the uprightness and dignity of those involved and the general character of our society, and which surely should challenge the conscience of every genuine follower of Christ.

Stains of various forms of corruption, domestic violence, hate language, usury, malicious gossip, envy-related transgressions, infidelity, manipulation and other forms of malaise continue to be very much alive in the undercurrents that persistently weaken the moral fibre of our community.

There are also the idols that may be hidden in the perhaps many recesses that exist in our personality, which we find very difficult to unearth and chase away. There is probably no person who would stand before a tree to worship it as an idol, or who keeps statues to adore at home. However, idolatry is subtle. We might have our hidden idols, for instance, because of our attachment to money, luxury or certain habits.

It would appear that many of these and other ailments are linked to what Pope Francis describes, in his Lenten message, as spiritual destitution, “which we experience when we turn away from God and reject His love”. Yet if we want to free ourselves from all human misery, we have to accept that God alone can truly heal our ever increasing open wounds.

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