Disciples Dance!
Jesus: Child of the Poor
Photo By: Flickr/Lawrence OP
This Advent, I had an experience outside of the church I attend daily Mass at that called me to remember the poor Christ in our midst on Christmas.
One morning, I encountered a homeless man. He had been disrespected by someone on the street and was upset about it. I listened patiently and assured him that not everyone was like that. Then he asked me for money, and I gave him some. He said "God bless you," gave me a hug, and kissed me on the cheek.
In that moment, I am certain that I encountered the living Christ. His poverty materially met my poverty emotionally. He needed money. I needed love.
And I think there's a lesson in that for Christmas.
This Christmas, Christ is born into poverty and lowliness, and we can unite our own poverty with His in the barren stable where God showed us He is with us. His poverty can meet our poverty.
Many of us experience some form of poverty in our lives. Spiritual, emotional, or material. We hunger and thirst for something in our lives to fill the emptiness we feel.
This Christmas, Christ meets and embraces us in that poverty that is so beautifully told of in the song "What Child Is This / Child of the Poor," which echoes this poor Christ we encounter on Christmas:
Helpless and hungry, lowly afraid,
Wrapped in the chill of mid-winter
Comes now among us, born into poverty's embrace,
New life for the world
Wrapped in the chill of mid-winter
Comes now among us, born into poverty's embrace,
New life for the world
Who is this who lives with the lowly,
Sharing their sorrows,
Knowing their hunger?
This is Christ, revealed to the world
In the eyes of a child
Sharing their sorrows,
Knowing their hunger?
This is Christ, revealed to the world
In the eyes of a child
A child of the poor
Bring all the thirsty, all who seek peace;
Bring those with nothing to offer,
Strengthen the feeble, say to the frightened heart:
"Fear not, here is our God!"
Bring those with nothing to offer,
Strengthen the feeble, say to the frightened heart:
"Fear not, here is our God!"
-- What Child Is This / Child of the Poor
May the Child of the Poor embrace you who are poor this Christmas, and may His Mother cradle you always.
About the Author
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, and certified health and life coach. She volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul Society serving the poor, is an active mentor to many individuals, and a prolific writer. Her writing interests and focus areas include spiritual development, reflections on the Gospel life, Franciscian spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and work/daily living. She is the published author of Called to Corporate: Lessons of Growing in Faith and Holiness from the Corporate Cubicle.
