Who am I supposed to listen to?

Week 8: Solidarity

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“None of us is an island” (Pope Francis).

Imagine living on Mackinac Island in the winter. The water freezes, so you can’t travel by boat. There is no bridge. There is a small airport, but travel is limited and expensive. People rely on each other. The community comes together for the common good—and they have solidarity among each other.

Our world is an island in space. We, all of us, live on the earth together. We are interconnected, standing in solidarity for our survival and our betterment. Our bond transcends national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are not just responsible for ourselves, but also for our global family.

“If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?” (1 Jn 3:17).

We are in solidarity with each other.

St. John Paul II tells us that solidarity is a determination to “commit oneself to the common good”—“the good of all and of each individual.” We are not only responsible for ourselves—“we are really responsible for all.” “[E]very man is his ‘brother’s keeper,’ because God entrusts us to one another.”

Solidarity unites us in Christ.

St. Paul explains that “a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ” (1 Cor 12:12).

“God has so constructed the body […] so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy” (1 Cor 12:25-26).

Our world functions much like the body St. Paul describes. “From the food we eat and the clothes we buy, to the news we read and the websites we browse, we are connected to people and places all over the world” (Caritas New Zealand).

Before we can act in solidarity with each other, we must acknowledge our global family and address the struggles that others face.

We are responsible for each other.

The choices we make have an impact all over the world, whether we realize it or not. We must recognize our human bond and understand our responsibility for each other.

So how do we act in solidarity with each other?

Pope Francis says that solidarity “finds concrete expression in service,” “combatting the structural causes of poverty, inequality, the lack of work, land, and housing” and “the denial of social and labor rights” (Fratelli tutti).

We must work for justice and peace for all.

Almighty and ever-living God, empower your one human family to join hands on our journey of faith. Send us your spirit of hope, so that we may work to alleviate human suffering and foster charity and justice in our world. Amen (USCCB Prayer for Solidarity).

What are some practical ways I can show solidarity with people in need locally and globally?
How can I work in solidarity with others to ensure peace and justice for all?

Let’s spend this week thinking about it.

Modern Catholic explores the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and how they can guide our lives today. Join us next week as we discuss the final principle: Care for God’s Creation.

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