Blessings of peace, mercy, and the love of Christ to all of you, my brothers and sisters.
We gather today in the shadow of great suffering—of hunger, of violence, of despair—yet we do so as people of hope, for we know that the light of Christ pierces even the darkest night. The world groans under the weight of injustice, but we, the faithful, are called to be instruments of God’s healing. Let us not turn away from the cries of the suffering, for in their anguish, we hear the voice of Christ Himself: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (Matthew 25:35).
In Gaza, children starve while the powerful deny their pain. In Ecuador, the innocent fall to the bullets of those who love violence—"The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, He hates with a passion." (Psalm 11:5). In Nigeria, the desperate are betrayed even after paying the price of their freedom, a reminder of the words: "Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered." (Proverbs 21:13).
These are not distant tragedies. They are wounds upon the Body of Christ. And if we remain silent, if we do not act, then we too bear responsibility. The world stands at a crossroads: one path leads to deeper darkness, where hatred and indifference reign, where the suffering of the weak is ignored for the comfort of the strong. The other path—the path of Christ—leads to a world where mercy triumphs, where the hungry are fed, where the oppressed find justice, where the lost are welcomed home.
Imagine, my brothers and sisters, a world where we—the Church—rise as one to answer these cries. Where we do not wait for governments or armies to act, but where we, the faithful, become the hands of Christ in the world. Where food reaches the starving, where peacemakers stand between the violent and their victims, where no ransom is needed because love has already set the captives free.
But let us not deceive ourselves—this will not happen without sacrifice. The Church today faces a great trial: the temptation to turn inward, to concern ourselves only with our own salvation while ignoring the suffering of the world. This is not the way of Christ! The Gospel is not a private comfort—it is a call to action. If we do not answer, if we do not stand for the weak, then the darkness will spread. Nations will fall deeper into chaos, the cries of the poor will go unheard, and violence will consume even the innocent.
But it does not have to be so. Today, we remember Saint Martha, who served the Lord with tireless love. Let us follow her example—not in idle waiting, but in labor, in sacrifice, in the relentless pursuit of justice. Let us feed the hungry, shelter the displaced, and stand against the forces of hatred. Let us be the Church that does not merely preach mercy but lives it.
The choice is ours. Will we be the generation that let the world fall into ruin, or will we be the generation that, with Christ’s help, rebuilt it in love? The time to act is now. The hour is urgent. Let us not delay.
Amen.
What can we do?
The world is facing deep suffering—hunger, violence, and injustice—but we are not powerless. Even small, daily actions can make a difference. Here’s how we can respond practically:
1. Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
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