When encountering a person living on the streets, a distressing question is imposed on the well-intentioned passerby: “Should I do something?” The question is especially disquieting for the Catholic who is reminded of the Savior’s exhortations, who tells his disciples that anything they do for the “least of these” is done for him. And what examples does he offer for what to do? Feed the hungry, satiate the thirsty, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and imprisoned (Mt 25:34–45). We are told to give to those who beg and never to refuse a request to borrow. If someone presses us for something, we are expected to respond with more than what they stipulate (Mt 5:40–42). In summary, the answer to the question seems straightforward: we have to give something.
The rest of this online article is available for current Guild members.
[i] Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005), nos. 177–78.
[ii] St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 66, a. 2.
[iii] Ibid., a. 7
[iv] St. Teresa of Calcutta, A Simple Path (New York: The Random House Publishing Group, 2007), 77.
[v] St. John Paul II, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (“Reconciliation and Penance”), no. 2.
This article originally appeared on pages 12-13 of the printed edition.
Art credit: Pexels.com.
This article is from The Catechetical Review (Online Edition ISSN 2379-6324) and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of The Catechetical Review by contacting [email protected]
