by Fr. Lito JopsonCebu City, Jan. 29, 2016 – “Poverty is NOT inevitable. Rather, it is due to human failures, like bad distribution of earth’s goods because of injustice and greed.”
These powerful words came from Abuja Archbishop John Cardinal Onaiyekan on the sixth day of 51st International Eucharistic Congress held here in the Pavilion, Cebu City, Philippines.
“God has provided enough resources for the needs of all of us. It is our responsibility that everyone receives his/her own due so that we all might live in dignity.”
He underscored the relevance of the Eucharist as encouragement to the poor to know that God is good and takes care of His own.
“The Eucharist stresses the need for sharing among God’s children starting from those in the church,” said Cardinal John.
However, he does not stress only on the theological aspect of the Eucharist in addressing the needs of the poor.
“There should be action! Do something! Do not say the problem is too much, you cannot feed everybody, or that what we have would not make any difference. Jesus does not want to hear that. And God is challenging us: "Do the little you can with the right spirit and God will do the rest."
Addressing both material and spiritual poverty, Cardinal John pointed out the role of the Church as a sacrament of the presence of God in the world.
“In the question of justice in our world, the church should be where the Eucharist is seen at work. The church should be the sign, a model of how the Eucharist meets the needs of the poor. In our Eucharistic Assembly, the poor must be given their dignity and in our Eucharistic banquet, the concern for the needs of the poor must go beyond the church door into the world out there,” said the Cardinal.
Regarding suffering, he stressed that the whole earthly life of Jesus was certainly not marked by affluence and comfort.
“The good news is that Jesus carrying our burden of suffering gives meaning and purpose to whatever suffering we may be carrying especially for His own sake. It becomes redemptive both for ourselves and for others. As Christians suffer with Christ, they come into union with him. Sharing in his cross, we can hope to share his glory,” explained the Cardinal.
He underscored the need to make the Eucharist available to the poor living in slums or in remote villages.
“What about those who live in prisons and detention camps? Wherever possible, those who are suffering should be able to contemplate the face of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist,” said Cardinal John.
He concluded with words of hope that is reflective of the theme of the 51st Eucharistic Congress, “Christ in us, our hope of glory”.
“That is why the Eucharist becomes the hope of the world today in the midst of all the bad news we are hearing; terrorism and the fear of a world war and the anxieties over climate change and the future of our planet. Jesus gives hope as He offers himself to us in the Holy Eucharist. For this we must remain forever grateful,” concluded Cardinal John. (Fr. Lito Jopson, CBCP ECSC, TV Maria Phils)
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