If you like to use music in prayer, I might suggest Song of the Body of Christ as a beautiful reflection about solidarity.
Questions for reflection:
-What circumstances came up for you in the past weeks where you had the opportunity to live out this call to solidarity, or were presented with the choice to do so?
-In what ways has your participation in the Body of Christ inspired you to act in ways that call you to greater solidarity?
-Are there Saints/holy men and women (in addition to Jesus) who have inspired your desire to ‘live simply so others may simply live?’ Who are they?
Opening Prayer:
God of all, we praise you and bless you for the ways that you provide for our needs, particularly when that means allowing us to serve or be served by others. Would that we seize those opportunities to model humility and selflessness, the way that you modeled servanthood to those who would follow You. We ask this is Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Solidarity continued
We have to move from our devotion to independence, through an understanding of interdependence, to a commitment to human solidarity. That challenge must find its realization in the kind of community we build among us. Love implies concern for all – especially the poor – and a continued search for those social and economic structures that permit everyone to share in a community that is a part of a redeemed creation (Rom 8:21-23). (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Economic Justice for All, no. 365).
Solidarity, often referred to as ‘Global Solidarity,’ adds an important and much larger context to our invitation to see the other as ‘neighbor.’ This theme of Solidarity can be slippery in terms of application. I find that it can be helpful to think up some practical, tactile ways that we can live out the practice of solidarity to make it feel more attainable. Here are some places o begin:
Do less— this concept is open to interpretation but could mean any number of things:
Less driving, spending, single-use splurges, throwing away rather than repairing, binge-watching, social media consumption, etc. With the time or money you would have otherwise committed to these things, make a more intentional investment of your efforts by learning about current events, where your clothing was produced, or how girls are treated in developing nations.
Put your money where your mouth is— If you value investing in people and their well-being, one of two things is true: You will spend more on products that are well-made by individuals who are compensated for their work, or you will have less. Usually both.
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.”
-St. Catherine of Siena
Invest intentionally— this is certainly true of the things we purchase, and it is equally true of the ways we invest our resources. Commit to learning about the practices of your bank/stocks/etc. I recognize this is a privileged point of reference, but learning about industries like payday loans and pawnshops can be pretty eye-opening as well. While these institutions may be bearing good fruit for you, are you gaining at someone else’s expense? Not always light reading, but important, nonetheless. Ask your bank, financial advisor, or accountant for more resources on the subject–if they don’t have them, it’s probably a good time for them to become educated on the subject as well.
“In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable, the principle of the common good immediately becomes, logically and inevitably, a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters. This option entails recognizing the implications of the universal destination of the world’s goods, but, as I mentioned in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, it demands before all else an appreciation of the immense dignity of the poor in the light of our deepest convictions as believers. We need only look around us to see that, today, this option is, in fact, an ethical imperative essential for effectively attaining the common good.” (Pope Francis, On Care for Our Common Home (Laudato Si)
Set limits/goals— Opportunities for personal commitments are limitless. It could be as simple as not throwing away food, cooking with less meat, turning off lights, and faster showers. Combining trips to stores, or designating days that errands aren’t run.
Support businesses large & small and encourage them to continue/implement dignified practices— This one is a little bit like the free space on a bingo board. If you already support small businesses, great! If you love a super-saver megastore, continue to shop there. Your purchases feed the families of those workers as well. The catch is, as you learn about practices, brands, corporations that are unjust or undignified in the way that they compensate/treat employees, it is important that you voice your observation (and discontent) with their overseers.
- For example, if your local coffee shop is fabulous–tell them so! And, mention that you’d appreciate seeing Fair Trade items served in their stores.
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- If one particular shoe company offers you the most comfort, write a letter saying so. Take the opportunity to mention that as a consumer of their product, you’d like to see more just labor practices enforced on behalf of those making the shoes and would be willing to pay more for the product.
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- If neither of these feel within your financial or realistic time bandwidth, employ second-hand stores that prevent goods from going to the dump, and do not support large-scale for-profit organizations that define success by bottom their line rather than the life and dignity of their employees.
Things have a price and can be for sale, but people have a dignity that is priceless and worth far more than things.
~ Pope Francis
The solidarity which binds all men together as members of a common family makes it impossible for wealthy nations to look with indifference upon the hunger, misery, and poverty of other nations whose citizens are unable to enjoy even elementary human rights. The nations of the world are becoming more and more dependent on one another and it will not be possible to preserve a lasting peace so long as glaring economic and social imbalances persist. (St. John XXIII, On Christianity and Social Progress [Mater et Magistra], no. 157).
Questions for reflection:
-What are two areas of my life that I can set realistic goals to make choices with solidarity in mind?
– Is solidarity a concept I can readily get on board with? Does ‘global solidarity’ inspire greater or lesser confidence in my ability to effect change?
-Who stands to gain anything by my efforts of solidarity? Is this tenant of CST compelling for you? Why or why not?
Closing Prayer
Gracious God, through the Trinity we see you model for us a mutuality of service and love. We begin to see the immense value that you place on community and the call to play a role in the human community–both local and global. As we learn to implement this call to living with others in mind, we ask that you would give us a glimpse of just how effective kenosis is in bringing about your Kingdom in our midst. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.