Pope tells Catholics to give ‘till it hurts’ to emulate Christ

Pope Francis has urged Catholics to offer charity this Lent to the materially, morally and spiritually destitute, but warns that they must give “until it hurts” if they really want to be like Christ, writes Robert Mickens.

“I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt,” the Pope says in a three-page message for Lent, which begins with the 5 March observance of Ash Wednesday.

Based on the theme, “He became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9), the Pope’s message calls on Catholics to imitate Christ by involving themselves in the lives of the poor.

“In imitation of our Master, we Christians are called to confront the poverty of our brothers and sisters, to touch it, to make it our own and to take practical steps to alleviate it,” Francis writes in the letter, which was released on Tuesday.

“God did not let our salvation drop down from heaven, like someone who gives alms from their abundance out of a sense of altruism and piety,” the Pope explains.

“Christ’s poverty which enriches us is his taking flesh and bearing our weaknesses and sins as an expression of God’s infinite mercy.”

Francis says that Christians must combat “material, moral and spiritual” destitution, which he calls “poverty without faith, without support, without hope”.

He says that the way to confront material destitution is by helping people “living in conditions opposed to human dignity: those who lack basic rights and needs such as food, water, hygiene, work and the opportunity to develop and grow culturally”.

“When power, luxury and money become idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of wealth.

Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity and sharing,” he adds.