"living as a family under the Creator's watchful eye." -Pope Benedict XVI

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing to read the words of Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical “Charity in Truth”, it seems to me his emphasis is on “persons” and in particular how each of us in the Body of Christ is called to love and serve one another. I remember a hymn from years ago in which we sang: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me”.

As Catholic Christians, we have been given much, but how many of us like good stewards have gained more for the Master? What have we done with what we have been given? Let us ponder our lives alongside the lives of Jesus and Mary in pondering the mysteries of the Rosary today. As we read the excerpt below, let us ask ourselves how concerned we have been, are, or will be by God’s Grace, about others in our human family – even if we have been “unprofitable servants in the past”. May good servants, keep striving.

1. The principle of subsidiarity must remain closely linked to the principle of solidarity and vice versa, since the former without the latter gives way to social privatism, while the latter without the former gives way to paternalist social assistance that is demeaning to those in need. This general rule must also be taken broadly into consideration when addressing issues concerning international development aid. Such aid, whatever the donors’ intentions, can sometimes lock people into a state of dependence and even foster situations of localized oppression and exploitation in the receiving country. Economic aid, in order to be true to its purpose, must not pursue secondary objectives. It must be distributed with the involvement not only of the governments of receiving countries, but also local economic agents and the bearers of culture within civil society, including local Churches. Aid programmes must increasingly acquire the characteristics of participation and completion from the grass roots. Indeed, the most valuable resources in countries receiving development aid are human resources: herein lies the real capital that needs to accumulate in order to guarantee a truly autonomous future for the poorest countries …

Remembering a phrase, from paragraph 57; I wonder how many of us are “living as a family under the Creator’s watchful eye.” Pope Bendict XVI’s words are powerful!
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful, kindle in us, the Fire of Your Love.
Mary, our Mother and Model, pray for us and with us for our human family.
Jesus, we trust in You!