The Lord hears the cry of the poor
God can make good things happen even from people’s evil plots.
Today’s first reading relates how Joseph’s brothers plotted against him. The Responsorial Psalm describes how God used events in Joseph’s life for the good of the children of Israel. In the Gospel, Jesus relates a parable that foretells how His persecution will lead to the greatest good of all — the salvation of all who accept the gift of eternal life He offers.
God gives us examples throughout scripture of the difficulties faced by those called to do God’s will. (That describes all of us at different times and in different ways!). And it’s often through the most trying times that God brings about the greatest revelations of the divine plan. God reassures us that even in our darkest moments, the Lord Jesus is with us and, if we hold firm to our faith, God will allow great things to happen through us.
In these most trying of times, Pope Leo, in his Lenten message, calls us to “listen as God does,” and we know that “The Lord hears the cry of the poor” (Psalm 34:7). As Catholic Charities, we are to listen as God does in responding to the cry of the poor in the many ways that’s manifested by those placed before us. They have faced dark moments, and we are living amidst dark moments, but through our faithfulness to God’s will of justice, love, mercy, compassion and peace, “God will allow great things to happen through us for the sake of others and ourselves.”
Fr. Dennis M. Weber, SdC, is a priest of the Servants of Charity and Director of Ministry and Mission for the Intellectual Services Division of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia.