The Cry of the Poor

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Blessed be the Lord.

Every spirit crushed, God will save;
will be ransom for their lives;
will be safe shelter for their fears,
and will hear the cry of the poor.

The Cry of the Poor, a hymn gleaned from the lines of Psalm 34, was penned by John Foley, S.J., in 1978. The melody is melancholy; almost haunting. The lyrics are deliberate and hopeful. Having heard this hymn within the context of the liturgy dozens of times, I am no less lifted by it's implied promise today than I was the first time I heard it.

The Lord hears the cry of the poor. At first blush, the message seems clear. The Lord will hear and will respond to the prayers of the poor. But, as is so often the case with lessons taken from scripture, there is so much more going on than that seemingly straightforward line intimates. Perhaps the most conspicuous question, at least to my mind, is this; who are the poor?

A nonsensical query, isn't it? It's so obvious. The poor are the unemployed or underemployed. They are the homeless. The residents of shelters, relying on soup kitchens for their meals. They are those living paycheck to paycheck, one unexpected expense away from living on the street. They are the widows and orphans mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, and still with us today; those that we are charged with providing comfort to.

Yes, those are the poor. And, yes, the Lord does hear and respond to their cries. But those are not the only poor among us. There is poverty beyond finances, beyond the daily needs of food and shelter.

The other forms of poverty I am alluding to are sometimes harder to spot, and consequently, often go unnoticed, unaided.

Poverty, in it's many forms is all around us. It may be as close as the co-worker in the cubicle next to you, the executive you joke with on your train ride out of Manhattan every day at six o'clock, or perhaps, within your own home.

There is spiritual poverty, often brought on by a belief that God has let you down. Surely, He must have been able to prevent the loss of a job, a relationship, or a loved one. Where was He when cancer claimed a child or parent? Where was He when you prayed for answers to questions that kept you up night after night, and the only response was deafening silence?

There is emotional poverty. A feeling of dread that you have never, and will never, amount to anything. An ever-present assumption that you are a disappointment to the people who matter most to you.

There is a poverty attached to dependence. Perhaps you struggle with addiction, in it's many insidious forms. Maybe you crave acceptance, love and understanding, and feel you receive none.

Finally, maybe you have achieved everything you set out to accomplish many years ago; landing the perfect job, having the perfect family, being able to afford all the trappings of a successful life; houses, cars, vacations.....and yet you still feel empty. That, my brothers and sisters, is poverty.

You see, poverty is not exclusive to those with empty pockets. It affects all people, from all walks of life. Poverty is blind. It doesn't see the color of your skin. It couldn't care less about the job you have or the car you drive. Poverty simply wants to control you, to make you feel helpless. Poverty thrives on despair.

There is good news, however. Poverty, in whatever form it enters your life, has an enemy. Every evil in the world, no matter how invasive, or how destructive, has it's antidote. In the case of poverty, that antidote is hope. Hope is a very powerful tool. When coupled with faith, it is virtually unstoppable.

That's where the cry of the poor enters the equation. The Lord hears you, my friend. He will never abandon you. He will always lead you out of your poverty, regardless of what form it takes, or how long it has been a part of your life. Cry out to Him. He is always listening. He will always answer. You are His child, and He is a selfless Father.

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.

We proclaim Your greatness, O God,
Your praise ever in our mouth;
every face brightened in Your light,
for You hear the cry of the poor.