Aporophobia describes an attitude towards poverty and the poor which can go from disregard, contempt, disgust and rejection to fear and even to hate. It sounds ‘strong language’ but perhaps it is not so far from us.
Why do we find it so difficult to look at a poor person in the street? Why do we resist so much giving away money to the poor? Why are we so anxious when we walk out of the door without our phone, our cards, our wallet or bag? Why do we hate asking for help and depending on others so much?
Last Wednesday, May 1st, we kept the Fest of Joseph the Worker.
Among the many invocations used to turn to Saint Joseph in prayer is ‘Amator paupertatis’,which in Latin means “Lover of Poverty”.
Poverty is not simply lack of money or material means. Poverty is the state of ‘being open’, ‘available’, ‘dependent’.
Joseph, the carpenter, was not rich, not a wealthy man, but to love poverty is something else. The visitation of the Angel of God, the adoration of the shepherds and the Magi, the prophecies of Simeon and Anna, made this poor man into a lover of poverty, attentive to the Voice of God, open to the Will of God, obedient to the History worked by God.
If you suffer from ‘aporophobia’ remember to pray the Litanies of St Joseph. Look up for the Litanies, pray them and ask for the grace to be cured from this terrible fear and so begin to love everyone and everything which makes us poorer.
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