"A great respect for those Jesus identifies with"

From Why Don't We Go Lower and Lower?

by Fr. Thierry de Roucy

I do not like the talks about poverty,

and the summit meetings dealing with this theme, in Sheraton hotels. 

I find them rather scandalous! 

The point should not be to speak, first about poverty,

 but to experience it with the poor people!

I also disagree when we speak about “the poor”, 

even if I myself do it, too much. 

For we already side with the wealthy people; 

it divides and puts us apart from the humble ones.  “Them” and “us” should not be used, because, 

from now on, there is only “us” in Christ.  In our talks, we too often consider poor people as a phenomenon.  We too often go towards them as if we were going to a zoo.  We are certainly not doing a sociological study of poor people.  What we have chosen is to establish 

a communion of love with them, 

a mystical one. 

This is quite different.

We will never show enough consideration for poor people. 

Never will we consider them undeniably 

as human beings, gifted with their very freedom.  We often want to make decisions in their place, 

we often want to speak in their place, 

and act in their place.  We sometimes consider them as two-year old children.  Aren’t we rather supposed to inquire about, listen to and welcome them? 

I am so worried that we might consider the ‘penniless people’ as ‘reasonless beings’.