We live in a culture that continually seeks more. We seek more money, more extravagant consumer goods. We strive to move faster and do more. We seek greater popularity. Yet Pope Francis’ document Laudato Si’ reminds us that we are not the most important beings in the universe. Our anthropocentric, or human-centred, approach - one that places the human person at the centre of reality - is failing us. Our egos fight to remain in control, but the individual will not win the ultimate prize. We have created the illusion that we will live forever. However, when we realise that we will die, that our time on earth is short, our plans come crashing down. In that moment, we begin to take a new perspective. We begin to stop.
We start to ask deeper questions such as, “What is the purpose of my life beyond myself?” Our lives are not ends in themselves. We begin to seek a broader, more open, and more flexible view of life.
As a father of teenage children, my role is to play an active part in their lives - to spend quality time with those I love. It is not simply about telling my children what to do. It is about surrendering control, saying, “For the next 20 minutes, I won’t direct anything - you decide what we do, without a screen.” To enter their world requires humility and presence. It is difficult for both men and women because it demands letting go.
If we truly believe Jesus’ Beatitude - “Blessed are the poor” or “Blessed are the poor in spirit” - do we recognise our own poverty? Poverty is not something to flee from or solve, but something to embrace. Saint Francis, who stripped down in the village square, inspires us to strip away our materialism, our rampant consumerism, our obsession with success. Poverty, rather than being a burden, is a doorway to new life in God. It enables us to go out into the world and serve the poor - the outcasts, the ones right in front of us.
We must re-evaluate our values. What truly matters? Which parts of our lives help us seek deeper meaning and truth? We must resist accepting the shallow as the whole reality - the quick fix, the addictions we create - and instead seek what endures.
When we die, what lasts is what we have given away: our prayers, our time with family, our living relationships, our generosity toward the poor, and our work against injustice.
Our world today is crying out to move beyond the façade of capitalism. How do we do this? Only you can decide.
Journal and reflect on the following
What does “seeking more” look like in my own life?
How does capitalism influence the way I define success and happiness?
What prevents me from “letting go” - of control, possessions, or status?
How can I help my family and our relationships move beyond the façade of capitalism?
What can we give away?
How can we become poor?
Discuss.
Listen to the song “Blessed are the poor”
Please pray the final prayer
Loving God, awaken us from the illusion that more will make us whole. Teach us to see through the false promises of wealth and success, and to find our worth in You alone. Help us to live simply, to love deeply, and to walk gently upon the earth. Free our hearts from the grip of greed and pride, and fill us instead with gratitude, compassion, and courage to stand for justice. May we learn, like Saint Francis, to embrace holy poverty - discovering joy not in what we possess, but in what we give away. In this, may we find true freedom and the richness of Your kingdom. Amen.
(Audio Available)
