157
the saving power at work in their lives and to put
them at the centre of the Churchâs pilgrim way.
We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our
voice to their causes, but also to be their friends,
to listen to them, to speak for them and to em-
brace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes
to share with us through them.
199.âOur commitment does not consist exclu-
sively in activities or programmes of promotion
and assistance; what the Holy Spirit mobilizes is
not an unruly activism, but above all an atten-
tiveness which considers the other âin a certain
sense as one with ourselvesâ.
166
This loving at-
tentiveness is the beginning of a true concern for
their person which inspires me effectively to seek
their good. This entails appreciating the poor in
their goodness, in their experience of life, in their
culture, and in their ways of living the faith. True
love is always contemplative, and permits us to
serve the other not out of necessity or vanity, but
rather because he or she is beautiful above and
beyond mere appearances: âThe love by which
we find the other pleasing leads us to offer him
something freelyâ.
167
The poor person, when
loved, âis esteemed as of great valueâ,
168
and this
is what makes the authentic option for the poor
differ from any other ideology, from any attempt
to exploit the poor for oneâs own personal or
166
âS
aint
T
homas
A
quinas
,
S. Th.,
II-II, q. 27, a. 2.
167
âIbid.,
I-II, q. 110, a. 1.
168
âIbid., I-II, q. 26, a. 3.