Chapter 20 Building Justice

What is an essential dimension of preaching the Gospel today?

Action on behalf of justice, and participation in the transformation of the world and the
promotion of human rights, appear as an essential dimension of preaching the Gospel today
(JW).

1199. What are some major problems throughout the Philippines today?

The question of justice, and the problems of stealing on all levels, due primarily to the
widespread poverty, violation of human rights, and the exploitation of both persons and natural
resources, are major problems of our country.

PCP II calls for a real social transformation that responds to the challenges of building a
new society of justice and peace.

1200. How does the Seventh Commandment foster social justice?

You shall not steal fosters social justice as it prohibits all ways of robbing others
freedom by stealing what is rightfully theirs.

In todays economic world, this prohibition includes both private possessions and public
properties, and actions such as corporation manipulations, unjust trade agreements and the like.

PCP II urges a passionate care of our earth and our environment.

1201. How does the Tenth Commandment foster social justice?

You shall not covet your neighbors house, or anything else that belongs to him fosters
social justice by prohibiting the distorted desires of the heart from which stealing and
exploitation of our neighbor arise.

It forbids not only unjust craving but also envy at anothers success, such as seen in Cains
envy-hatred-murder pattern.

1202. What is the real problem raised by the Tenth Commandment?

The Tenth Commandment lays bare our powerlessness to check all our disordered desires,
and thus reform our lives not only exteriorly but especially interiorly.
 Christs encounter with the rich young man brings out the almost diabolical hold which
riches have on us. We thus come to realize our basic need to be saved by Gods merciful love and
power.

1203. What is the Gospel picture of social responsibility?

The Gospels sketch social responsibility in terms of:

reform of life, as in John the Baptists preaching;

conversion of heart, as sketched in Jesus parables;

restitution, as praised by Jesus in Zacchaeus.

Basic to all three stages is a fundamental trust in God as all-Provident Father.

1204. What role does the Church play in temporal affairs?

The Churchs action is not political, or economic, or technical, but rather religious and
moral in nature, strengthening the spiritual and moral bases of society. (John Paul II)

The Churchs social doctrine offers:

principles for reflection;

criteria for judgments; and

criteria for action.

Typical concerns of the Church are human rights and new insights such as the notion of
social sin.

1205. What are the Churchs guiding truths for Filipino Catholics in political life?

The basic truths for political involvement proposed by the Church are:

pursuit of the common good as objective basis;

in defense and promotion of justice for all;

inspired and guided by the spirit of service;

imbued with the love of preference for the poor;

empowerment of the people to be carried out both as process and goal of political activity.
1206. What is meant by social sin?

The term social sin is used to describe situations or structures which cause or support
evil, or fail through complicity or indifference to redress evils when it is possible. Such sinful
structures are always rooted in personal sin (cf. also Chap. 14, nos. 769-71).

Typical social sins in the Philippine context include prostitution, pornography,

consumerism and militarism.

1207. What is the Churchs position on private property?

The right to private property is valid and necessary, but second to the intrinsically social
function of all property.

The Seventh and Tenth Commandments protect property from theft from above (rich and
powerful robbing the poor) and theft from below (the have-nots robbing the well-to-do).

1208. What is the basis for the Churchs social teaching?

The intrinsic dignity of every human person and the basic human solidarity are the basis for
the Churchs social teaching.

1209. What is the Churchs teaching on work?

Work as one distinguishing characteristic of human beings, is an essential key to the social
question, especially when seen in terms of the person who is the subject/agent of work and the
primary basis for its value.

1210. What is meant by the primacy of work as subjective?

This phrase stresses:

human persons are the purpose of work, i.e., work is to achieve human fulfillment, first in the
family, then in the larger community;

the priority of labor over capital,

the primacy of persons over things.

1211. What are the consequences of this primacy?

The primacy of work as subjective grounds three basic rights:

the right to work;

the right to a just share in the fruits of the work;

 the right to organize to defend the workers interests.

1212. What duties go with these rights?

The right to work also involves the duty to work, and the right to a just salary involves the
duty to work honestly. Both rights and duties are enhanced by a proper spirituality of work
which develops the insight of seeing work as sharing in the activity of the Creator.

1213. What is meant by preferential option for the poor?

This option is a Christian preference by which the Church desires to bring the message of
salvation to every human being, to every culture and social environment, but in the first place to
those who are most in need.

It follows the teaching and example of Christ himself, and the exercise of Christian charity
to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness.

1214. How are justice and Christian charity related?

Christian charity implies an absolute demand for justice, and justice attains its inner
fullness only in love.

1215. What constitutes a primary responsibility for Filipino Christians?

Christian Filipinos today face a major responsibility in working to build a just society. We
are called to bear witness to the human and Gospel values that are intimately involved in the
economic, social and political areas of activity.

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