One of the key events in Jesus’s life is recorded in chapter 4 of Luke’s account of the Good News. In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read and applied to himself the following passage from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for prisoners and sight for the blind, to release those who are oppressed, and to announce the time of the Lord’s favour.”
It is apparent from this and other passages that the meaning of Christmas – the purpose of Jesus becoming a man – was intimately bound up with God’s concern for people who are in poverty, neglected, oppressed, or otherwise suffering some type of disadvantage. And if Jesus cared particularly about the poor, it is hard to escape the conclusion that followers of Jesus must also care particularly about the poor.
The end of 2007 gives us an opportunity to reflect back on 2007. What have I done this year to reflect God’s love and special concern for the poor? Has service of the poor been a major focus of my energies this year, or has it been no more than an optional add-on? Have I set aside enough time in my busy schedule to serve those who need my help most?