Food counters reveal in a strident manner the contrast between abundance and need in the Netherlands. “Through this we see, also close to our home, what happens when the ratio between poverty and affluence increases in a distorted manner”, write the Dutch bishops in their letter for Lent, published in recent days. In the view of the bishops, the gravity of poverty in the country is clear: “abundance is linked, in the global economy, with the surplus production of foodstuffs”, they write; “poverty on the other hand affects those with few means of subsistence, as is increasingly the case even in our environment”. A relation instead needs to be sought with solidarity, forty years after the encyclical Populorum Progressio , and for this the bishops recall the keywords of the encyclical: “justice and peace”. They continue: “Working in this way – in pursuit of solidarity – we put into practice our love for God and for our neighbour, according to the example given to us by Jesus”. Despite all that has been done in recent years to bring aid to development, the bishops recall that a large part of mankind still lack the necessary conditions for subsistence: peace, food, clothing, housing, work, education, healthcare, and point out the failure to stop the endless flow of refugees. Lastly they appeal for the need of balance in our own private life: “Lent means that we renew our bond with Jesus Christ. The deepening of our faith leads to sharper awareness, moderation and sharing with others”.
