In recent years, Australia has faced a severe cost-of-living crisis, with the prices of essential goods and services—such as food, household necessities, mortgages, and rent—rising dramatically. This financial strain has left many Australians struggling to cope, with some relying on family or friends for shelter, and others tragically ending up on the streets. The growing number of people experiencing homelessness has placed immense pressure on support services, many of which are unable to assist everyone in need.
The crisis is particularly devastating for those who are not only homeless but also living with serious mental health challenges. Limited resources mean that both homelessness and mental health services cannot provide adequate support, leaving many vulnerable individuals isolated and at the margins of society. This double burden highlights the urgent need for greater care and compassion towards people facing these struggles.
The 2024–25 Social Justice Statement, Signs of Hope on the Edge: Serving People Living in Homelessness and Mental Ill Health, sheds light on the harsh realities faced by those living on the streets and grappling with mental illness. It emphasizes the difficulty in providing sufficient resources and calls on Christians to respond with service and love, following the example of Jesus. The statement reminds the faithful that every person, created in the image of God, deserves dignity, compassion, and solidarity.
While many Australians may find encountering homelessness confronting or uncomfortable, the statement encourages Christians to engage with rather than ignore those on the margins. By offering friendship, listening to stories, and responding with Christ-like love, the community can bring hope to those who feel abandoned. Echoing Pope Francis, the statement calls believers to step into the “edges” of society as messengers of hope, embodying God’s unfailing love for all people, especially the most vulnerable.
Journal and reflect on the following
How has the rising cost of living in Australia affected the way you view poverty and homelessness in your own community?
What challenges do people face when they are both homeless and living with serious mental ill health?
Why do you think homelessness services and mental health services struggle to meet the needs of everyone?
In what ways does the Social Justice Statement call Christians to respond differently to people living on the edge of society?
How can offering simple acts of friendship—such as listening and acknowledging others—bring dignity and hope to those who feel abandoned?
What does it mean for Christians today to “walk in the footsteps of Christ” and bring hope to those most vulnerable?
How might you or your community take practical steps to serve people experiencing homelessness and mental ill health?
Loving God, you created each person in your image and call us to see Christ in our brothers and sisters who struggle on the edges of society. We lift up all those burdened by homelessness and mental ill health, asking that they may find dignity, hope, and the shelter of your love. Open our hearts to respond with compassion, courage, and friendship, that we may not walk past those in need but instead walk beside them. In this Jubilee year, strengthen us to be messengers of hope, builders of community, and witnesses to your unfailing love which embraces all people. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
