Today in Scripture

(Well, yesterday in Scripture, technically)
An excerpt from Sunday's second reading, from the 5th chapter of Galatians:

For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters.

But do not use this freedom

as an opportunity for the flesh;

rather, serve one another through love.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement,

namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

But if you go on biting and devouring one another,

beware that you are not consumed by one another.

At our creation, God granted us free will. Through our redemption, Jesus freed us from the overwhelming power of sin. And the power of the infinite Love of the Holy Trinity made effective in us by the Holy Spirit helps us to reach out in loving kindness, service, sacrifice and joy to one another.

We have the freedom to treat every human interaction as a contest. The Scripture seems to suggest that will just make losers of us all. We also have the freedom to treat every 'contest' as an opportunity for learning more about ourselves and our so-called opponents as the sons and daughters or God that we all are. This invitation to grow in respect and love may not always be pleasant at that time, but if we embrace the freedom of caring for the good of others, we all benefit in the end.

There are seven basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Based in Scripture, these fundamental elements speak to how we as Christians are to live day to day, affecting our relationships in the home, at work, in society and as a resident of planet Earth!

One of these principles of Catholic Social Teaching is the "Rights and Responsibilities". Here is a summary of that principle, as provided by the Social Concerns Committee of St. Andrew the Apostle parish.

While public debate is often divided between those who focus on personal responsibility and those who focus on social responsibility, our tradition insists that both are necessary. People have basic rights and responsibilities because of their human dignity which reflects the fact that they have been created in God's image.  Catholic teaching emphasizes that people have a fundamental right to life and to the basic necessities that provide quality to life: food, shelter, health care, education and employment.  We are called to respect the rights of others and to seek the common good.