Do those words sound a bit cold? of the head, not the heart? Jesus took care of that when He said to his disciples, "The truth is, every time you did this for the least of my sisters and brothers, you did it for Me." (Matt. 25:40)
We know what He is referring to. We know all about the sheep and the goats. We know the corporal works of mercy. We choose service projects and feel included in Jesus' chosen group. Justified.
Another form of that word is Justice. On a broader level, Jesus is talking about the common good, a healthy community where the rights of each individual are protected, not out of duty, but out of regard for the dignity of that person --out of love. In addition to the right to food, clean water, housing, clothing, health and prisoner care, these rights include the right to work, family, culture, social services, and a healthy planet, all based
on the right to life, the right to bodily integrity and self-determination.
We can't claim the rights and ignore the duty, the responsibility.
We give out of our abundance and our need. We recognize the need to protect the rights of our weaker members, the handicapped, our women and children, the worker seeking a just wage, racial and gender minorities, the elderly. We must provide social services and medical care where needed. Politics are important. We need to vote our consciences.
We all seek a stable and secure society based on distributive justice, within a just system. We seek Systemic Justice. We believe Jesus' promise. Our reward will be great: Justice and Peace for all.
"I pray that we help You to help ourselves."
Etty Hillsum (Holocaust Martyr)