World Day of the Poor — Pope Leo’s Message  calls on the faithful to rediscover Christian hope as a response to the instability that pervades our world. Pope Leo notes how the poor, though deprived of material security, often embody a hope that is deep and enduring. “They cannot rely on the security of power and possessions… their hope must necessarily be sought elsewhere,” he writes. It is precisely in this vulnerability, the Pope explains, that “we too pass from fleeting hopes to a lasting hope.” “The gravest form of poverty,” he continues, “is not to know God.” Citing Pope Francis’s he highlights the fact that spiritual care must not be denied to the poor, who “have a special openness to the faith.” The Holy Father goes on to recall how early Christians viewed hope as an anchor: that grounds our hearts in the promise of the Lord  Jesus.” In a world plagued by war, displacement, and environmental degradation, he insists that this hope remains the anchor holding human dignity fast. “Charity is not just a promise,” the Pope says “It is a present reality to be embraced with joy and  responsibility.”