Day 253: Participation in Public Life

"Participation" is the voluntary and generous engagement of a person in social interchange. It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person. CCC 1913

Today's reading from the Catechism is short, just five paragraphs discussing participation in public life, that is, our involvement in society. This is followed by an In Brief section reviewing what has been covered over the past few days. I suppose the words of the poet John Donne would be appropriate here:

No man is an island,

Entire of itself;

Every man is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

In these words, Donne echoes what Scripture and the Church teach us. We are to "bear one another's burdens" (Gal 6:2) and "love your neighbor as yourself" together with the love of God being the greatest commandments (Matt 34:40). And of course, perhaps one of the best guides for us to follow in how we should live comes in the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-11; see also CCC 1716-29).

The Catechism Compendium gives a good summary of how we can participate in bringing about the common good:

All men and women, according to the place and role that they occupy, participate in promoting the common good by respecting just laws and taking charge of the areas for which they have personal responsibility, such as the care of their own family and the commitment to their own work. Citizens also should take an active part in public life as far as possible. (#410)

Finally, the Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

As part of a community, we have an obligation to contribute to the common good and the life of society. We must take personal responsibility for our roles. A helpful motto is "See a need, fill a need." ... We cannot be mature Christians unless we take personal responsibility for our own spiritual growth. We cannot be mature adults until we take personal responsibility for the areas in which we ought to be responsible... Human beings are made for work of some sort since we are made in God's image and likeness. (p. 22)

There are many today we could benefit from learning "personal responsibility" as this involves not only caring for oneself, but others as well.