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INTENTION : |
We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser important.
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Listening to the Voices from the margins
Jesus Christ, in the Parable of the Sower, taught that the Word of God is like seeds that are sown and settled in different types of soil (cf. Mt. 13: 1-23).
People who accept, retain, and persevere with the "seed" are like "good soil." They allow the word of God to "bear fruit, thirty, and sixty and a hundredfold" (Mk. 4: 20).
On the World Day of Migrants (2021), Pope Francis called for a more inclusive Church that goes out to the peripheries. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumerism, global and national politics, and other societal issues affect everyone, especially the disempowered, the poor, the vulnerable, and those whose voices are often unheard or given little attention.
The people from the margins of society have little or no voice in the communities. Yet, they reveal "God's benevolent love" in the modern world. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the lives of people worldwide, particularly the poor. While many countries have demonstrated the ability to cope with the virulent disease.
In the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis (2013) exhorts Christians to go beyond their comfort zone and go to the "peripheries" in need of the light of the gospel. The peripheries refer to the edge or outside a boundary. It is often an empty and nonproductive area that is neglected or abandoned (Fr Franklin Pilario 2005).
People in the peripheries are often marginalised, sidelined, ignored, or given little attention. A person living on the margins is an outsider (Rettig 2017). However, it is in the peripheries that the poor and marginalised dwell. Since Jesus is the poorest of the poor, he is the first of the poor (Vatican News 2021).
Thus, wherever the poor are, God is present. The gospels proclaim that Jesus deeply cared for people regardless of social status. Jesus showed loving compassion for the poor and marginalised and reached out to those in the peripheries of society.
When some disciples saw children as a nuisance, Jesus treated the young as important members of society. He said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 19: 14).
Jesus showed high regard for women. He conversed with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection. He healed a woman who was suffering from haemorrhages. Jesus said, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering" (Mk. 5: 34).
Jesus also listened to the plea of the sick and healed them. He cured the blind and the lame. Jesus healed those suffering from leprosy- a disease associated with sinfulness. He told the leper, "Be clean, and immediately leprosy left him, and he was made clean" (Mk. 1: 42).
More importantly, Jesus saved humankind from damnation. He listened to the Father's will and sacrificed himself to uplift man and keep them from sin. Jesus loved the sinners, the oppressed, the poor, and the marginalised. As such, the preferential option for the poor is at the centre of the gospel and the centre of Jesus' proclamation (Francis 2020).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that Jesus identifies himself with the poor of every kind, and his active love for them is the condition for entering his kingdom (CCC 544; Cfr. Mt. 25:31-45). However, one way for Christians to show their preference for the poor is by listening to the voices of the marginalised. The love for the poor and the marginalised is anchored in our faith in Christ, who listened and cared for those in the peripheries. Pope Francis stresses that prioritising the marginalised is not a political or ideological choice but the heart of the Gospel.
Today, some voices are silenced by existing structures and privileged communities. Usually, these voices come from people from the margins of society. However, such muted voices can help better understand Christianity in contemporary times. The experiences and insights of those in the margins reveal the face of God in their particular contexts. As a result, coming to voice is a courageous act. Hence, listening to the voices from the margins is key to understanding the Kingdom of God and caring for the forgotten parts of the body of Christ.
Fides del Castillo
De Salle University, Manila
MDPI Publications
What it takes for Malaysia's marginalised to thrive well
Thrive Well, as a trauma-informed community mental health service provider offers care and support for individuals, communities and organisations. It aims to be a one-stop centre for those seeking to change their lives around and break barriers within their social groupings.
They make sure that no one is left behind. In fact, the aim is not only to help people overcome their pain but to enable them to help others build resilience and thrive.
This organisation came to life in the midst of COVID-19 in October 2020, when fractures in society began to surface to a greater extent - there was a mental health crisis in Malaysia. According to the 2019 national health and morbidity survey, roughly half a million people in Malaysia reported symptoms of depression. Of that, half a million people, 79 per cent of them are from the B40 community. B40 represents the bottom 40 per cent of the household income classification in Malaysia.
Despite being one of the largest groups requiring mental health support, the B40s struggle to afford mental health care.
Confronted by financial struggles, relationship issues, and loss of income, mental health was put on the back burner. As such, a perpetual cycle of stress got built into their lives. Thrive Well seeks to bridge the gap by providing extensive financial aid for psychosocial support services for the B40 community.
The B40s simply cannot afford to get help. They have no way of paying for the services. Thrive Well's Jom Sembang financial support programme helps to fund services for these communities. With a 'pay it forward' model, when people pay full price for Thrive Well's services, a portion of the profits earned will go into the programme to provide subsidies to those who need it.
Thrive Well
Breaking Barriers Changing Lives
Petaling Jaya.
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