A Christian Response to Poverty in Today's World
Felipe Zegarra, a Peruvian diocesan priest and theology professor, reflects deeply on how Christian ethics must be re-centered on solidarity—a living, active expression of love that transforms both individuals and society. Drawing from pastoral experience in one of Lima’s poorest neighborhoods, Zegarra reminds us that solidarity is not mere pity but the heart of Gospel living.
For readers who want to explore Catholic Social Teaching at home, tools like a Catholic Social Teaching Study Bible or a simple journal for reflection and action can help deepen prayerful engagement with the poor.
“Solidarity is not an optional virtue—it is the organizing principle of Christian life and social transformation.”
Rethinking Ethics through Solidarity
Zegarra begins by challenging Christians to rethink ethics not as abstract principles but as a lived experience rooted in solidarity. He contrasts this with the overused notion of “compassion,” insisting that solidarity expresses the deep and passionate love of God who identifies with the suffering of humanity.
Inspired by Pope John Paul II’s writings, Zegarra underscores that solidarity is not sentimentality—it is an ethical decision to walk with the poor, to share their struggles, and to act for justice in community. Small acts—like keeping a daily examen or gratitude notebook—help nurture a spirituality that remains attentive to the marginalized.
The Poor Among Us Today
Who are the poor today? For Zegarra, the faces of poverty are many and diverse: the elderly abandoned after a lifetime of work, uneducated children left behind by society, the terminally ill neglected by healthcare systems, and the unemployed youth criminalized by fear rather than understood by compassion.
Poverty, he insists, is not only economic—it is dehumanizing. It robs people of dignity and will. When the poor resign themselves with phrases like “It’s God’s will” or “That’s just how life is,” it reveals a social structure that kills hope itself.
“Poverty’s deepest wound is not hunger but humiliation—the loss of the belief that life can change.”
Hunger as a Stigma of Our Time
Zegarra turns to Pope John Paul II’s 1996 Lenten Message, which called the reality of hunger a “stigma of the world today.” The Pope challenges the faithful: “How can our ears and hearts not attend to this cry?” Nearly 800 million people face hunger, yet the earth has the resources to feed everyone. The crisis, then, is not of scarcity but of justice.
The Pope’s invitation to “give them something to eat” (Mt 14:16) is not a metaphor—it is a command. It asks every Christian to act concretely, to organize communities, and to support efforts that multiply the “five loaves and two fish” we hold in our hands. Resources like a Catholic Social Teaching handbook can assist individuals and groups in forming justice-centered ministries.
“Authentic solidarity is not improvised—it is learned, cultivated, and practiced daily.”
From Individual Acts to Collective Transformation
Zegarra highlights the example of countless women leading grassroots initiatives: soup kitchens, health posts, and micro-enterprises. Their faith in action represents the true meaning of solidarity. Yet, he cautions that isolated acts of charity are not enough. Structural transformation is needed—organized efforts by civil society, guided by justice and the common good.
Recovering the Meaning of the Human Person
At the heart of Zegarra’s theology is the conviction that solidarity restores human dignity. It recognizes that every person is created in God’s image and worthy of love and participation in society. Echoing both Scripture and modern human rights, he affirms: “We have blood and flesh in common” (Heb 2:14).
To recover this sense of humanity is to resist systems of domination and discrimination—whether based on race, class, or wealth. For Zegarra, the Christian vocation is to proclaim that all human beings are capable of governing, reasoning, and contributing to the common good.
The Preferential Option for the Poor
From the Gospel of Matthew (25:40) to the Latin American Bishops’ Conferences of Puebla and Santo Domingo, Zegarra reminds us that the Church’s mission begins “from the poor.” The poor are not objects of pity but subjects of revelation—those through whom we encounter the face of Christ.
“To assume the cause of the poor is to assume the cause of Christ himself.”
Authentic solidarity therefore demands a reversal of priorities. It requires that we measure our societies, and our faith, by how they treat the excluded and the forgotten.
The Social Value of Self-Esteem
Zegarra also connects solidarity to the recovery of self-esteem. True love of neighbor presupposes love of self. Citing Kant’s moral imperative and Christ’s commandment, he insists that to value oneself is the foundation for valuing others. This balance guards against both individualism and dependency, nurturing interdependence and mutual respect.
In Search of Human Realization
For Zegarra, the goal of development is not the accumulation of goods but the flourishing of persons. Echoing the call for “integral human development,” he envisions a world where free initiative, creativity, and solidarity converge for the benefit of all—especially the vulnerable.
“True civilization is not measured by wealth but by the humanity it cultivates.”
Learning to Be: The Call to a Shared Future
In closing, Zegarra returns to the words of Bartolomé de las Casas: “As barbaric as they are, so are we.” The priest’s humility reminds us that all people, regardless of culture or class, share a common capacity for goodness, learning, and growth.
The challenge today, Zegarra writes, is to unite our will and abilities around the great project of “learning to learn” and, more importantly, “learning to be.” Solidarity, then, becomes both a spiritual discipline and a social mission—a way of becoming more fully human together.
“To live in solidarity is to live in communion—where faith becomes flesh in love.”
Call to Action
How do you practice solidarity in your daily life? Have you witnessed communities living this value in creative ways? Share your reflections below—your voice may inspire others to act with compassion and courage.
Recommended Resources
- Catholic Social Teaching Study Bible
- Spiritual Journal for Reflection & Action
- Daily Examen / Gratitude Notebook
- Catholic Social Teaching Handbook
Additional Resources from Shopee
- Rosary for prayer
- Bible for Outreach or Ministry
- Notebooks for Community Journaling
- Small Crucifixes for Community Prayer Corners
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