Justice, gratitude as signs of true love

Love toward God and our brothers and sisters
 
As the Christmas shopping season is already here, according to the decorations at the local department stores, I have a simple question. What happened to the gifts you received this past Christmas?
 
Did you use your gift cards? Did you use the colognes and perfumes? How about those books? Did you read any of them? Did you wear the sweater? Did you play with the toys and games? Did you enjoy the gift on the rocks? What did you do with those gifts?
 
Someone gifted you out of love. Someone believed that to bestow those gifts was an act of justice. Someone believed that you deserved it. Your love for the gift giver is manifested in the appreciation of the gift and your use and enjoyment of that gift.
 
God has gifted us in many ways. Creation is a perfect example. To abuse or destroy nature is a clear lack of appreciation, and therefore an absence of love, toward God and an act of injustice toward your brothers and sisters who cannot enjoy that which you destroyed and meant as a gift for all.
 
By the same token, to steal someone else’s possessions and gifts is an act of injustice and an absence of love toward the owner, and above all, an absence of love toward God who gave us a mandate to not steal and to love one another. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2401, introduces the 7 ^th commandment in the following way:
 
“The seventh commandment forbids unjustly taking or keeping the goods of one's neighbor and wronging him in any way with respect to his goods. It commands justice and charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of men's labor. For the sake of the common good, it requires respect for the universal destination of goods and respect for the right to private property. Christian life strives to order this world's goods to God and to fraternal charity.”
 
It is clear that people are more important than things. The 7 ^th commandment brings together the justice and love due to our brothers and sisters with the use and care of earthly goods and the fruits of one’s labor. This is the foundation of the social justice teachings of the Catholic Church.
 
To not steal is not just an act of respect to something and someone else’s ownership rights, it is above all an act of love to the owner, your brother or sister, and to God.


Seven themes of catholic social teaching
In these brief reflections are highlighted several key themes at the heart of Catholic social tradition.
 
Life, dignity of the human person
The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.
 
Call to family, community and participation
The person is not only sacred but also social. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society.
 
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.
 
Option for the poor, vulnerable
A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. 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 dignity of work and the rights of workers
If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected – the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to private property and to economic initiative.
 
Solidarity
We are one human family whatever the national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers.
 
Care for God's creation
We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation.
 
To learn more, go online to www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfm