Blessings of peace, mercy, and the love of Christ to all of you, my brothers and sisters.
Today, we gather under the gaze of the Almighty, who calls us to be His hands and feet in a world torn by suffering, injustice, and neglect. The cries of the afflicted rise to heaven, and we, the Church, must answer. For if we remain silent, if we turn away, then we betray the very Gospel we proclaim.
The Starving Cry Out—Will We Answer?
In Gaza, our brothers and sisters waste away, their bodies broken by hunger, their spirits crushed by the relentless weight of war and siege. The words of our Lord in Matthew 25 echo like thunder: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." These are not mere words—they are a divine command. When we ignore the starving, when we allow politics to silence compassion, we deny Christ Himself.
Imagine, dear friends, a world where no child goes to bed hungry. A world where borders do not bar mercy, where food is not weaponized, where the strong do not feast while the weak perish. This is the world Christ calls us to build. But if we do not act—if we leave the suffering to their fate—then we invite a darker future, one where the cries of the hungry turn to the wails of the damned, and the judgment of God falls upon a world that refused to love.
The Oppressed Plead for Justice—Will We Defend Them?
In Haiti, young women like Helene endure unspeakable horrors—abducted, violated, left to bear the scars of cruelty. The Psalmist cries out: "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed." Yet how many of us turn away, dismissing their pain as distant, as someone else’s burden?
But what if, instead, we stood as one Church, demanding justice, sheltering the abused, and raising our voices until the wicked tremble? What if we refused to let the vulnerable suffer in silence? If we do not act, then violence will spread like a plague, and the blood of the innocent will stain the hands of those who did nothing.
The Earth Groans—Will We Steward It?
The Lord placed us in this garden, not to exploit it, but to "work it and take care of it." Yet we have poisoned the air, scorched the land, and drowned the coasts in rising seas. The poor nations, who contributed least to this destruction, now face annihilation. The International Court of Justice has spoken—climate injustice is a sin against creation and against the poor.
But imagine a world where the rivers run clean, where the forests breathe life once more, where no child dies of drought or flood. This is the world we must fight for. If we do not, then the earth itself will rebel against us—famine, storm, and fire will be our judgment.
The Church’s Call—And Our Failure
And yet, even as we speak of these global crises, we must confront a failing within our own Church—the scandal of division. Too often, we let politics, pride, and prejudice fracture the Body of Christ. We bicker while the world burns. We must repent. We must unite. For if we are divided, how can we heal a broken world?
A Future of Hope—If We Act Now
But do not despair, my brothers and sisters! For Christ is with us. The same Lord who calmed the storm can calm the wars. The same Savior who fed the multitudes can end famine. The same God who raised the dead can restore justice.
Let us rise, then, as one Church—feeding the hungry, sheltering the abused, healing the earth. Let us be the answer to the world’s prayers. For if we do, then the Kingdom of God will dawn upon us. But if we refuse, then darkness will follow—and we will have only ourselves to blame.
The choice is ours. Let us choose love. Let us choose Christ.
Amen.
What can we do?
The world faces immense suffering—from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the violence against women in Haiti and the urgent threat of climate change. While these problems may seem overwhelming, each of us can take meaningful action in our daily lives to contribute to a better world. Here’s how:
For the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza:
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