PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR Prepared by E

PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR Prepared by: E. M. JAMILLA UST Institute of Religion

PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR “OPTION” – does not mean an optional alternative but rather, a decision and commitment in favor of the poor. “PREFERENTIAL” – means the choice of the poor as a priority of Christian witnessing to justice and solidarity.

FACES OF THE POOR

Option for the Poor, therefore, is to love the poor which means living for and with them, lending a helping hand, giving service when needed, being honest, just, pure, gentle, truthful and kind to them.

Preferring the poor as the priority in Christian witnessing is not exclusively favoring the poor. It does not exclude the rich because the message of love is meant for everyone.

DEMANDS OF THE OPTION FOR THE POOR 1. True Solidarity It involves a genuine experience and understanding of the world of the poor. It is a deliberate choice to share in their experiences and see them with compassion, sharing their suffering, hopes and joys.

DEMANDS OF THE OPTION FOR THE POOR 2. Denunciation and struggle against injustice and oppression. To opt for the poor means to opt against their unjust situation. “Option” is much more than just mere concern. It is a commitment to resisting oppressions, exploitation and marginalization of people in every aspect of public life.

DEMANDS OF THE OPTION FOR THE POOR 3. Conscientization of the poor The poor must be taught to recognize and see their problems and their causes. Real social transformation takes place only when the poor are able to achieve their development, based on their inherent dignity and resources.

DEMANDS OF THE OPTION FOR THE POOR 4. Organization of the poor They need to be organized for better and more effective action. The struggle against poverty and injustice must always be inspired by the Christian attitudes of faith, hope, and love and not by any political or ideological criteria.

DEMANDS OF THE OPTION FOR THE POOR 5. Commitment to the integral liberation of the poor. Integral liberation is liberation from sin and from everything else that hinders the poor’s total development as persons.

In the Kingdom of God the greatest are not the most powerful, those who have the most things, not the strongest, the smartest. The Lord told us he is present in the poor, the weak.

However, in our society it is difficult to believe this and live as though the Gospel were true, because of the tremendous pressure to be in style--in our clothing, having a beautiful house, the latest style car, etc. The world encourages us to put all our trust in financial security and seek physical and emotional comfort.

Option for the poor is never an easy option. It is a personal decision and requires conversion.

Conversion involves a radical change of heart. It means transforming our attitudes, behavior, values and lifestyle according to the values demanded by the gospel.

As Christians we are called to metanoia, to conversion of heart, to live according to the Beatitudes instead of the upside-down values of our world. Metanoia is a complete reversal of values from the way the world thinks to that of the Sermon on the Mount.