Grandpa's Garden: Justice Together

In November, we traditionally recall those who have gone before us to eternal life. It is a time of enduring hope and can also be mixed with some sadness as we miss those people we loved so deeply. I remember years ago giving the news of our parents’ deaths to our children. In those difficult conversations, we tried to navigate our feelings while helping our young ones cope with their reactions.

Their relationships with their grandparents enriched all of us. With experience, we learn to process through challenging times together. Community and family life offer mutual support, acceptance, and opportunities to share feelings and memories. Saint Paul observed that love is patient and kind and never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4, 8).

Faith in the Communion of Saints reminds us how interrelated we are and how God draws us into a universal human family. Jesus taught that God is “Our Father.” Each time we pray the Our Father, we affirm this fundamental relationship with God and each other. We have one Creator. We are part of a common humanity; we share a common home, communal life, and destiny.

Human Solidarity is one of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

“As a Church, we must be people after God’s own heart, bonded by the Spirit, sustaining one another in love, setting our hearts on God’s kingdom, committing ourselves to solidarity with those who suffer, working for peace and justice, acting as a sign of Christ’s love and justice in the world.” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Economic Justice For All, 1986, #24)

How do we teach our children to live in solidarity with others? Our faith provides the meaning to engage the world as Jesus engaged all He encountered with truth, peace, justice, love, and mercy.

“The LORD does righteous deeds, brings justice to all the oppressed.” (Psalm 103:6)

With Scripture as our foundation, faith as our light, and the church, the people of God, our companions, we have abundant resources to form our consciences and shape our values in light of God’s will for us.

I think Christians are called to ongoing study and reflection to nourish our faith. The Spirit of God continues to create and teach us with every prayer, reading, listening, and encounter. As parents and guardians, our witness to social justice can inspire our children.

Let us pray in our families for the grace to continue thinking, learning, and teaching about our commitment to a more just world.