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We ought to continue our journey of faith by learning ever more about God and the way He wants His Kingdom to grow. The social teaching of the Church is part of this journey, and we are called
to know and make it a part of our lives.
There is no doubt that God wants His people to mirror not only His attention to the poor, the oppressed, the forgotten last, but also His attention to prophecy, that those responsible might hear His voice, change their hearts and contribute to building God’s Kingdom. This is why the Church fosters the awareness of justice and peace among the faithful. The knowledge, understanding and practice of this social teaching can lead to a silent revolution.
In 1995, fifty-one of the largest one-hundred economies in the world were corporations. The combined sales of the top Japanese corporations alone were almost equivalent to the combined Gross Domestic Product of all South America.
Published in July, Caritas in Veritate (Love in Truth), Benedict XVI’s first social encyclical, was widely acclaimed by its deep insight on a world affected by a global recession and still ruled by a soulless system that deprives millions from their fundamental rights. Four months have passed, and it is time for an accurate reflection over its obvious strengths and its not so obvious omissions. Because humankind is facing one of the most critical periods in history, marked not only by an almost unprecedented economic and financial crisis, but also by an ecological mayhem that can endanger the future of life on Earth.
Christianity and kindness go hand-in-hand. One may even add that the unkind person betrays the Christian faith, which is essentially the practice of the love of God and neighbor. This is the good news that the missionaries brought to the Philippines, and we still can learn from it today.
Kindness and mercy is at the heart of the Christian message. Jesus said: “You received without pay, give without pay.” The Church must, therefore, seek to put mercy into practice and to proclaim it to the men and women of today.
In the fifth century, before envy was listed by the Church as one of the seven deadly sins, the virtue, able to fight its deleterious effects, was coined. This virtue is kindness. And, if one looks attentively at the world’s social and spiritual history, one will find
that it is still able to help us in our struggle to live better in a kinder world.
Kindness is a virtue that needs to be cherished and cultivated. Regular practices become habits which, in turn, become deeply ingrained and shape our identity. Our actions determine us as much as we determine our actions. Indeed, kindness begets kindness. We are made kind by being kind.
Silsilah farmers are practicing an organic and biodynamic agriculture that helps them to regain dignity and make a living, keeps the integrity of creation and preserves the earth for future generations. Mary Josephine “Jojo” E. Cagurangan is their leading technician.
Naked, alone, just with the aid of an arch and a bunch of arrows, Karapiru walked for ten years. All started with the murder of his wife by hired gunmen; all ended after wandering over 1,300 kilometers, with the find of his lost son and the start of a new family. This almost incredible survival story was only possible because Karapiru is a Brazilian Indian, used to living in communion with Nature. And tells us a lot about many other Indians, culturally and spiritually deeply attached to Mother Earth.
