Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. In Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You), the Holy Father coincidentally begins his third chapter with the above quote from today’s second reading. Chapter Three is titled “A Church for the Poor.” The chapter emphasizes that the Church’s very identity and mission are inseparable from service to the poor. Throughout this section, the Holy Father demonstrates that care for the poor has always characterized the Church’s presence in the world. He concludes, therefore, that being a “Church for the poor” is not an optional ministry but a defining expression of what it means to follow Christ and to live out the Gospel. The Holy Father begins this section by...