Day 255: Human Solidarity

Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this. CCC 1941

Today's reading from the Catechism is another short one, consisting of four paragraphs on human solidarity, and an In Brief section reviewing what has been covered over the past few days.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes how human solidarity is manifested:

Solidarity, which springs from human and Christian brotherhood, is manifested in the first place by the just distribution of goods, by a fair remuneration for work and by zeal for a more just social order. The virtue of solidarity also practices the sharing of the spiritual goods of faith which is even more important than sharing material goods. (#414)

The Catholic Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

In order to flourish and have a society that is like the society God wants for us, we need to have "friendship" and "social charity" - "human solidarity" (CCC 1939)... Catholic social teaching tells us every person has a right to private property... We are to meet the needs of those around us, though never by force... Human solidarity tells us we have the duty to use our private property for the needs of our neighbors... Solidarity involves putting on a new lens that sees strangers as our brothers, people for whom Christ died. (p. 26)