Living Justly or Just Living?

The recent Beijing Olympics and Paralympics saw contestants from around the globe striving for glory. Many of them had to overcome great adversity because a true competitor does not count the cost on the road to claim gold.

You and I could well draw a parallel with World Youth Day, when pilgrims from around the globe also overcame great adversity, in quite a number of cases, in striving to claim a different kind of gold, "not counting the cost." (Lk 14:28)

This Social Justice Sunday's Gospel (Mt 21:28-32) portrays a man with two sons. One does his father's will, the other does not. Perhaps the one who did not, counted the cost of doing the work too demanding. It interfered with the rest of his life. It is reminiscent of the rich young man (Mt 19:16-22), who had won a "gold medal" in earthly terms, because he is obviously materially successful and into the bargain he had a "gold medal" in religious terms, because he fulfilled all the laws. Yet he is still searching for more.

What is "the gold" that he is still looking for but still finds that the cost is too high?

We, Australian Catholic Bishops, have launched our annual 2008 Social Justice Statement entitled: "A Rich Young Nation: the Challenge of affluence and poverty in Australia."

The challenge Jesus presents to the Rich Young Man - go, sell everything, and follow me - is the same challenge we face in Australia today. Will we use our great natural wealth for the benefit of all, particularly for those who have been denied the benefits of prosperity? Will we act on the challenge Jesus offers, or will we too go away shocked at the demands it makes? What is the gold medal you and I are really looking for? Is the cost too great? What about the spiritual poverty of so many today? Or the poverty of loneliness so many people suffer?

Vulnerable Australians

The 2008 Social Justice Sunday Statement looks at issues of materialism, consumerism and the overall affluence of our nation against the circumstances of vulnerable Australians who have been denied a fair share of Australia's prosperity.

We Bishops are renewing the call for awareness about justice for those afflicted by poverty in our affluent society. Some who are particularly vulnerable include indigenous families and communities, single-parent families, low-paid workers, refugees and people who are homeless. The health of our society can be judged by the way we treat our most vulnerable citizens.

It is important that together as a nation we face not only the reality of this material and spiritual poverty in Australia, but also seek ways to address it, however difficult that may be at a personal or societal level. As individual citizens, as families, as parishes and as local communities, we can take some initiative to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need and be enriched by what results. For when we welcome the poor, the outcast and the stranger in need, we are really welcoming the living Lord Jesus Christ, who said "whatever you did to one of these, the least of my brothers and sisters, you did to me." (Mt 25:40)

It is a stirring call, yet how do you and I receive it in our hearts?

Are we like the son in today's Gospel saying we will help, then finding that we won't. Or maybe we are like the son who initially rejects the call, and then something stirs in us so we finally respond? Perhaps we are a little of both. As in many of his parables, Jesus shows us up not as "either-or" but as "both-and". Like the rich young man, we are probably counting the cost of what is asked.

Understanding what motivates us is what is central to answering the call to live with a spirit of justice for all.

Both the son who said he would help yet didn't and the rich young man wanted to be seen to be doing the right thing, yet in the end they found the cost too high.

Ours or God's Way

When you and I want to do what is right and just, compassionate and forgiving, but for the wrong motives, it can become just another action in our life. We will weigh the time and effort it takes, against everything else that is going on. Will I help this disadvantaged person today? Well, if it fits into my schedule, I will try.

Yet we know the God, who loves us more than we could ever imagine, calls for a different response. Social Justice isn't supposed to be simply another thing we do if we have the time, like a hobby.

When we see the efforts and sacrifices made by our Olympians and Paralympians, and by many of our WYD pilgrims, we recognise that this wasn't just a passing interest. They were striving for gold and didn't count the cost.

Jesus calls us to leave everything and follow him. This response is captured beautifully in our second reading, St Paul's letter to the Philippians, where Jesus is described as "emptying himself", "humbling himself", becoming "obedient" even to death. (Phil 2:7-8)

At this point we are probably with the rich young man, wondering if the cost is too high.

How do we do this? How do we live a life where we can abandon ourselves to God?

Stewards of God's Gifts

This is what our Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist call us to be. The US Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship says, "Mature Christians make a conscious, firm decision, carried out in action, to be followers of Jesus Christ no matter the cost to themselves."

This is not simply something we do, to get on God's good side, or to support others, rather it recognises that God is the source of all that we have and all that we are "it is in God that we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). We are simply stewards or caretakers of God's many gifts to us not owners - our lives are entrusted to us by God - they are not ours to do with as we like.

So the attitude of gratitude for all that God has given us is expressed through our wise stewardship of God's gifts to us. It is from this, that a Catholic sense of social justice flows. It is first and foremost our calling as mature disciples, to be of service, by sharing our gifts with others.

If we divorce social justice from our initiation into the faith of the Church through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, it becomes just another activity we do. At times we will pay it lip service, or only go so far in seeking justice, if the price tag or personal cost becomes too high.

Our Olympians, paralympians and pilgrims did not get to their destinations all on their own. Nor must we. In the story of the rich young man, he went away sad. We might as well add, he seemed to go away alone. He did not follow Jesus. He did not step into the community of faith. In our efforts to be mature disciples, faithful stewards, who try to live justly, we too will fail if we are alone. We need the support, the interaction, the gifts and fellowship of others. "Do not stay away from the meetings of the community, as some do, but encourage each other to go." (Heb 10:25)

In our diocese, we are fortunate to have opportunities not only to foster our sense of stewardship, but also to give us a context in which to support God's call that we live justly. Our diocesan Stewardship Support Committee and Social Justice Council are two important groups which assist the efforts of many of our communities.

I am grateful for the efforts of so many people who are engaged in responding to the call to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with our God. (cf Mic 6:8) You know, a smile is like a light in the window of the soul indicating that the heart is at home.

Social Justice Sunday rolls around each year as a timely reminder that, unlike our participation as spectators in the Olympics or Paralympics, in our quest to be authentically Catholic Christians, each of us must "run the race to win" (cf I Cor 9:24) and live justly, rather than just, simply live.