By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Nagpur: Followers of Christ have no choice but serve the poor and downtrodden, says a Catholic prelate in India where some radical groups question Christian charitable works.
“We have to be at the side of the poor. That is the mandate given to us by our master,” Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur asserted on November 26 while addressing Catholics in the central Indian city on the occasion of the Feast of Christ the King.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the day, the prelate said, “On one side we are comforted. But the Gospel frightens us when Jesus asks: what have you done for the poor? Jesus says that his kingdom is with the poor,” the archbishop explained.
The Gospel reading was about the Last Judgment where Christ judges the good and bad people at the end of the world. The main criterion for deciding people’s fate is their deeds during their life on earth.
“We all want to go to the right side of Jesus as in the Gospel passage. But we are not doing what Jesus is asking us — to serve the poor. His kingdom is not of this world, but at the side of the poor. When we serve the poor God pours his blessings on us.”
“In these days people asks us why the Christian missionaries are taking the side of the poor. When we go to the poor, we are taking the Kingdom of God to them,” Archbishop Viruthakulangara said.
The prelate reminded the gathering about Pope Francis’ call to go to the poor on the periphery, where no one goes. “When we visit the poor we are carrying out the command of the Lord. “When you serve them, you serve me.”
The archdiocese of Nagpur prepared for the feast with 40-hour Adoration, with young people taking turns to pray before the Blessed Sacrament the whole night. Archbishop Viruthakulangara said the Adoration was a “powerhouse” for the archdiocese.
The traditional Eucharistic procession concluded with enactments of Gospels scenes by the Youth of the cathedral parish.
One scene depicted Jesus eating food brought to him by a man. When self-proclaimed some righteous people in the crowd grumble why Jesus is eating with sinners, Jesus answers he came to seek the sinners, not the just.