Parish Social Ministry

Reflections for Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – September 23, 2018
Catholic Social Teaching:  Rights and Responsibilities
As human beings, we have a right to live and grow in peace.  Because we have that right, we have the responsibility to make sure others enjoy the same opportunity too.
 
It is very fitting today to reflect on the letter to James and what is said about war and peace.  James talks about our passions and desires and how they lead to war and violence.  James reminds us: “the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.”  In today’s gospel Jesus brings up with the disciples the issues that arise from striving to be the “greatest.”  One way to interpret this would be to say that we approach the triple challenge of love, justice and peace with childlike humility, and we anticipate that our response to that challenge will bring us to the cross.
 
We know from experience, people speak up for justice and peace – against war and those in need against injustice that they may encounter opposition and persecution.  The first reading from Wisdom reminds us of this as does today’s prophecy from Jesus.  We should not be surprised that we face challenges and opposition as we try to live out our Christian values.
 
 
Reflections for Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time September, 30, 2018
 
Catholic Social Teaching:  The Dignity of Work and the Rights of the Workers
The economy must serve people, not the other way around.  Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation.
 
In the first reading from the book of Numbers, we see the seventy called into question the ministry of Eldad and Medad, even though Eldad and Medad clearly have been gifted by the spirit.  Moses supports the work of Eldad and Medad and wishes that everyone was so filled with the spirit.
 
We must not forget that often times the work of God’s spirit is manifested in those who do not fit our category.  This story (along with the gospel) reminds us that God’s spirit is not bound by our categories.
 
We are called to respect the gifts of the spirit among all men and women in our church and world.  It is a matter of justice.  We must not limit the spirit and the work of God to people of a certain gender, race, nation, ethnic group, age, orientation, or other characteristic.
 
The letter of James is not afraid to address issues of social injustice.  The rich are chastised for oppressing their workers.  Our social teaching is clear.  All workers desire a living wage.  James reminds the rich of the limited value of all material wealth.  Our social teaching is clear.  We are in trouble if we get our value from our material possessions alone.  As Christians in the developed world, we certainly are challenged to reflect on our affluent society and the consumer value which dominates our culture.
 
The gospel addresses issues of solidarity.  The disciples are told to respect all those who do the work of  Christ.  We are all one in ways that transcend our various superficial differences and groupings.  We are called to respect the presence of God in the gifts of all people.

 
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time October 7, 2018
Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity
We are one human family whatever our natural, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences.  We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, whatever they may be.
 
Humans are social beings:  God created us to live and work together, to share our lives, to care about and for each other.  Relationship and solidarity are central Christian values. These values are manifest in everyday interpersonal values – as in the loving relationship of two individuals in a marriage – and also in the social and economic values that bind us together as nations and the world community.
 
Marriage is a deep commitment of two people to one another.  In the same way, the Social Teaching of the church reflects a commitment of the church and its members to one another and to the promotion of  justice in the world.  A married couple is not concerned only with their own private relationship but also with the bigger world in which we all live.  In the same way, Catholic Social Teaching is an expansive commitment.
 
A marriage is celebrated and lived out in the context of a bigger story.  The bigger story is the biblical story of liberation and freedom. Marriage should be a source of freedom and joy.  If marriage is seen in the light of all the work of God in the world then the couple can see more clearly their vocation in that world.  A spirit of freedom and service will then follow.
 
The unity of humankind is shattered every day by the many scourges of injustice:  racism, sexism, poverty, hunger, homelessness, war.  God has joined us in a society of brothers and sisters because it is not good for us to be alone:  let no one separate that society through collusion in injustice.
 
 
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time   October 14, 2018
Catholic Social Teaching:  Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring.  In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
 
The rich man wants to have it both ways:  he wants his possessions and he wants everlasting life.  Jesus shatters his illusions; you can’t have both, Jesus says.  The rich man goes away sad, promoting Jesus to comment on the difficulty of being rich and entering the kingdom.
 
The first reading from the book of Wisdom reminds us that the purpose of our life is not the accumulation of wealth.  There are values that are more important than money, riches, and power.  We are invited instead to base our life on that wisdom that is God and on that Spirit that invites us to something more.  We are called not to accumulate things for ourselves, but to live in community and respect the common good.  We are invited to consider how the prevalence of consumerism and materialism in our culture gets in the way of the Christian life and even basic happiness.  Our social teaching even invites us to make a special option for the poor, to respect the environment, and to focus on the common good for all.  The story of the “rich young man” reminds us of how difficult it can be to “sell what we have and give to the poor.”
 
The scriptures today may be an invitation to reflect on our current economic situation.  Have we gotten into these problems because we have failed to apply the scriptures to our world?  Are we being called to reevaluate how we live and what we consider most important?
 
 
Reflections for Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time    October 21, 2018
Catholic Social Teaching:  Rights and Responsibilities
The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met.
 
The scriptures today offer a radical critique of the values that seem to dominate our world.  Our culture seems to idealize those who are “the greatest” – those who have power over others, or political control, or the most wealth and influence, or the highest rating in the polls, or the most exposure in the media.  Jesus instead invites the disciples into lives of service not power – into lives of sacrifice not domination – into community and the common good and not just one’s own personal well-being.  Catholic Social Teaching invites us into a commitment to social change, a special option for the poor, a desire for community and solidarity between all people, and a preference for nonviolence rather than violence.
 
The scriptures today also remind us that God wants to be connected with our humanness and weakness.  God shares our suffering and our struggle for what is right and just in the world.  The God whom we find in Jesus is a God who is the “servant of all.”  Jesus reminds us to remember that the goal of life is bigger than one self.
 
Today’s liturgy is about service.  What is our service to the world?  If all we do is affirm the world’s wisdom, what kind of service is that?  After all, it is the wisdom of the world that has lead us into the dark alleys of hatred, alienation, and killing.   It cannot be like that with you.  We must provide an alternative to the wisdom of the world:  that is the greatest service we can offer.
 
 
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time  October 28, 2018
Catholic Social Teaching:  Rights and Responsibilities
The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met.
 
Our commitment to Catholic Social Teaching calls us to speak up for what is right and just.  The Spirit of Christ gives us the courage to speak up and shout and proclaim the divine message of healing and inclusion – the message of justice and peace.
 
In today’s gospel, Bartimaeus is rewarded for his courage to speak up.  Many people tell him to be silent, yet he speaks up.  “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”  Jesus stops and Bartimaeus is healed.  He can now see and he is now included in the community of people following Jesus.
 
The first reading from Jeremiah tells us to “Shout for joy.”  Jeremiah tells us to proclaim the liberation that comes from God.  People are gathered from all the parts of the earth.  Everyone is welcome.  Those who are blind or lame are healed and brought into the community.
 
The second reading from Hebrews reminds us that all takes place even as we are “beset by weaknesses.”  God’s desire is to bring people together.  God’s desire is to heal and restore us all to a community of peace.  God desires to give us the courage to speak up and act to make all of this real today.
 
---Education for Justice   Lectionary Reflections   By: Fr. John Bucki, S.J.

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