World Day of the Poor 2024

Sunday 17 November is the 8th World Day of the Poor.

Pope Francis has chosen a particularly meaningful theme for the Eighth World Day of the Poor in this year dedicated to prayer: “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (cf. Sir 21:5).

The Society of St Vincent de Paul encourages everyone to take some time to reflect on this years point of reflection “the prayer of the poor rises up to God”.

The nature of reciprocity is expressed in the logo for the World Day of the Poor. One notes an open door and two persons on the roadside. Both persons extend a hand: One is seeking assistance and the other intends to provide it. In fact, it is difficult to recognize which of the two is truly poor. Or rather, both are poor. The one who extends the hand in order to enter is asking for a sharing, while the one extending the hand to assist is invited to exit in order to share. Each of the two hands are extended to meet the other and both have something to offer. The two arms express solidarity, inviting the other to exit the door and to meet. The poor is able to enter the house, once it is understand that the assistance is in the form of a sharing.

If prayer does not translate into concrete action, it is in vain; indeed, ‘faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead’ (Jas 2:17). However, charity without prayer risks becoming philanthropy that soon exhausts itself. Without daily prayer lived with fidelity, our acts are empty, they lose their profound soul, and are reduced to being mere activism” (Pope Francis)

This is the great challenge we receive from the Holy Father in his Message for the Eighth World Day of the Poor. Beautiful words in the face of the poor are not enough; we need the concreteness of human gestures towards real people. The invitation addressed to each person is that of involving themselves in the lives of their brothers and sisters who are in situations of poverty, through simple, everyday gestures.

Let’s use this opportunity to teach others of the needs of the poor. Let us double our efforts in satisfying those needs. May the Holy Spirit work in our hearts and act in us, guiding us toward others with the same loving and benevolent gaze of God

Deacon John Girolami
SSVP ONRC Spiritual Advisor