The Poor You Will Always Have with You

"The poor you will always have with you." How often have we heard these words? So many times that you might think you know what I'm going to say. But maybe you don't.

I have heard and read these words in Scripture since childhood. As an adult, I have often heard and read them used as an excuse to neglect people who do not have enough. (You knew I was going to say that part, didn't you?). However, they were originally said in a specific context. But is there yet another take-away for us?

Jesus said this in defense of the woman who had anointed his head and who had been hypocritically accused of waste. He pointed out that he would only be with us on earth for a little while. She had shown him this sign of great respect. She had acknowledged the honor that was due to him.

We know that Jesus cared about the poor. He stated that our very salvation depends on our care of others. He said: "…For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me…"  (Matthew 26:35). And, following a list of people we could help, he said that he will tell us to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

 

So, is there anything we can learn, millennia later, from Jesus saying, "For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me."  (Matthew 26:11).

Is there anything we can learn if we look at this sentence - as many people seem to do - without the context of the woman; but if we include the second part of the sentence? What if we keep at least the context of a complete sentence? We would not always have him with us in the same way that they did in those times. But we do have him with us in our churches, in our hearts, and wherever we are.

If we want to look at the lesson as universal, for all time, maybe what he meant for us - who live outside of the time when he walked on earth as a man - is not all that different. Maybe he meant for us to honor his place in our lives and refresh our souls by communing with him...in our churches, in our hearts, in the beauty of his world. After all, the two great commandments are to Love God and to Love our neighbor. He tells us to honor and help our neighbor, but he also gives us the strength and guidance we need to do so.  He said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  (Matthew 11:28).

(Scriptures taken from: Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition).