Day 255: Human Solidarity (1939-1948)
It’s Day 255!!
HUMAN SOLIDARITY
Paragraph 1939 says, “The principle of solidarity, also articulated in terms of ‘friendship’ or ‘social charity,’ is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood. An error, ‘today abundantly widespread, is disregard for the law of human solidarity and charity, dictated and imposed both by our common origin and by the equality in rational nature of all men, whatever nation they belong to. This law is sealed by the sacrifice of redemption offered by Jesus Christ on the altar of the Cross to his heavenly Father, on behalf of sinful humanity.’”
Fr. Mike got his Mother Theresa quote from his mom
Human solidarity is that sense that you know something that I don’t and I might have something that you don’t
In order to flourish in society that God wants for us, we need to have this friendship
We need to have this social charity
We need to have this human solidarity
We also have MCNUGGETS
Let’s pray!!
Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in HEaven, you are good. In the name of Jesus, we ask you to please receive our thanks, always receive our praise, receive the glory that is yours. Lord God, we ask that You be known. That not only are You known in far off places by people who have not yet heard of you, but also that You be known by us, by your children, those You have redeemed by the blood of your Son and brought to new birth through Baptism and brought into your Church. Help us to know you. And in knowing you, to glorify you, in knowing you to love you, and knowing you to also do your will. Father, we ask that you please, in the name of Jesus, send that Spirit, the Spirit that helps us to know you so that we can see you as you truly are, and that we can see each other as we truly are, both in our strengths and in our weaknesses, and to be brothers and sisters to the human race, to be neighbors to our neighbors, and to love and pray for our enemies. Ini Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen”
So there we have it!!
Catholic social teaching says that we have a right to our own property
Catholic social teaching also says that there are enough resources in this world for all people
If there are some people who are not receiving the resources that they need to survive, then there is an imbalance and there needs to be a change in things
Our right to private property ceases when me meet the needs of those around us
It doesn’t cease by force
There is no law that can change the human heart
We have prejudices, selfishness, greed
No law can change that
What CAN change that is grace
God poured Himself out by taking the form of a human being
He embraced poverty
He gave himself to death, even death on a cross
We need to have that same mindset that belongs to Jesus Christ
Because we have been loved in this way and because we have human solidarity, if our friend is going without then we have the right and duty to use our private property for the needs of our brother, neighbor, friend
It is rooted in justice
It belongs to the dignity of every human being that he or she has what they need not simply to scrape through life, but to thrive in this life
They have what they need to be able to say YES to the Lord
When it comes to human solidarity, it is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood
If this was my actual brother or sister, what would I do then?
Paragraph 1941 says, “Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this.”
That is where we have to start
It involves putting on a new lens
This stranger is my friend
This stranger is my brother
This stranger is someone for whom Christ died
Let’s listen to Fr. Mike’s example…
Ask yourself, “Do I remember that they have a mom? Do I remember that they have a dad?”
Maybe this is someone who was never really loved by their mom or dad
Maybe this is someone who was never chosen by someone else
What can we do to treat this person like a person?
Paragraph 1942 says, “The virtue of solidarity goes beyond material goods. In spreading the spiritual goods of the faith, the Church has promoted, and often opened new paths for, the development of temporal goods as well. And so throughout the centuries has the Lord’s saying been verified: ‘Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well’: For two thousand years this sentiment has lived and endured in the soul of the Church, impelling souls then and now to the heroic charity of monastic farmers, liberators of slaves, healers of the sick, and messengers of faith, civilization, and science to all generations and all peoples for the sake of creating the social conditions capable of offering to everyone possible a life worthy of man and of a Christian.”
It involves treating people like people
“How are you?”
“How was your day?”
Maybe you have a coworker and you find them annoying and you’re looking for the exit
Maybe they need time and attention because they are like your sister or brother
There are a lot of married couples who live like roommates who tolerate each other
How would that change if they were asked, “How are you?”
Every one of us is coming from a different place
Every one of us has different opportunities to help others
Every one of us has different needs in our own hearts
This might be one of the ways that God is asking you today to exercise friendship, social charity, and human solidarity
Maybe you know how God is calling you to move forward today
Maybe it’s hard
Maybe you tried before and got shot down
We all have different situations, circumstances, degrees of patience, and different degrees of patience, and different degrees of willingness to love
Fr. Mike is praying FOR YOU!!
Please pray for Fr. Mike and for each other!!
Toodles!!