Pope gives message for poor

POPE Francis has highlighted the need for conversion in his message for the World Day of the Poor.
The theme is “The poor you will always have with you” taken from the Gospel of Mark 14:7.
He noted that Jesus spoke the words at a meal in Bethany in the home of Simon the leper, a few days before the Passover.
A woman came in with an alabaster flask of precious ointment and poured it over Jesus’ head, causing great amazement, giving rise to two interpretations.
The first was indignation.
Considering the value of the ointment, some of those present, including the disciples, felt it should have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor.
Judas, in particular, was very vocal, “not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief” and wanted to take what was in the money box.
The second interpretation was that of Jesus which makes us appreciate the meaning of the woman’s act.
He asked them to leave her alone because he saw in her act “an anticipation of the anointing of his lifeless body prior to its placement in the tomb”.
“Jesus was reminding them that he is the first of the poor, the poorest of the poor, because he represents all of them.
“It was for the sake of the poor, the lonely, the marginalised and victims of discrimination, that the Son of God accepted the woman’s gesture.”
He said the woman was meant to represent women “who would be silenced and suffer violence”.
Jesus went on to associate her with the great mission of evangelisation: “Amen, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” – Vatican news