Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among societies and nations. On February 20, the United Nations observes the World Day of Social Justice to focus on injustice throughout the world and to press for improvements and solutions.
Through the observance of World Day of Social Justice, the UN aims to create awareness in the international community on poverty eradication, promotion of decent work, gender equity, access to social well being and justice for all. A society or community advances in social justice by removing all the barriers people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, language, religion, culture, sexual orientation or disability.
Unfortunately, this day tends to pass as any other day, with most of us remaining conveniently ignorant of the call for ensuring justice for our fellow brethren. We are often immune to the cries of the victims of injustice until we ourselves are denied justice. Decades before the UN came up with the concept of a day of social justice, Pope St. Paul VI elaborated on the responsibility of the Church to “keep the eyes of the Church open, her heart sensitive and her hands ready to carry out the work of charity which she is called to accomplish in the world, in order to promote progress in needy regions and international social justice.”
The criteria for promoting justice and peace, as indicated by the Holy Father, are three: keeping the eyes open, having a sensitive heart and having hands ready to reach out. The call is to keep our eyes open to see the world with love, understanding and compassion—eyes that make no distinction between people when it comes to race, culture and social class. For instance, will our society or our church community be held accountable for turning a blind eye to the pitiable plight of thousands of migrant workers—the modern-day enslaved people around us?
Poverty amid plenty is a serious concern of our day. It is common sense that a high per capita GDP does not represent the equal distribution of wealth and resources among all. In most parts of the world today, the free market system has contributed to the concentration of wealth at the top strata of society at the expense of the poor.
The second criterion for social justice is to have a sensitive heart. It prevents us from making ourselves the point of reference and being selfishly closed to others but instead nurtures a positive feeling towards others who are different from us. Migrants and ethnic minorities, the working poor and the elderly should find a space of hope and comfort in the Church.
The third on the list is to have hands that are willing to reach out. In the gospels, Jesus’ strongest reproaches are directed against hypocrites, those who only speak but do not do. “If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled’, without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” [James 2:15-17].
It is today that we must ask ourselves: “Is my faith dead?” The Day of Social Justice calls us to take action! jose, cmf
