“There is simply no place for indifference or apathy.”
In two previous columns, I discussed the first two tools to utilize in order to attain world peace which Pope Francis expounded in his message for the 55th World Day of Peace. As we mentioned, the first two elements to peace are “dialogue“ and “education“ and the last element is labor. The latter concretizes the plans to attain peace which is achieved first through dialogue and education.
Francis regards labor as a tool to achieve peace, being an indispensable factor in building and keeping peace. It is an expression of ourselves and our gifts, but also of our commitment, self-investment and cooperation with others, since we always work with or for someone. As seen in this social perspective, the workplace enables us to learn to make our contribution towards a more habitable and beautiful world, according to the Pope.
The Holy Father observes that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the labor market in a catastrophic way. “The pandemic is affecting all social and demographic classes. Young people entering the job market and recently unemployed adults presently face bleak prospects. Its impact on the informal economy, which often involves migrant workers, is particularly devastating. Families are now living in highly precarious conditions, prey to various forms of slavery and with no system of welfare to protect them.”
For Pope Francis, the answer to this is an expansion of dignified employment opportunities because labour is “the foundation on which to build justice and solidarity in every community.“ Francis insisted on the need to “combine our ideas and efforts in order to create the solutions and conditions that can provide everyone of working age with the opportunity, through their work, to contribute to the lives of their families and of society as a whole. This is more urgent than ever to promote, throughout our world, decent and dignified working conditions, oriented to the common good and to the safeguarding of creation.“
This pandemic has caused and is causing billions of people tremendous suffering. Untold numbers have been reduced to destitution and utter poverty. In the Philippines for instance, millions are now trapped in the morass of poverty and hunger. It is therefore of great importance that we not only cooperate to improve working conditions and provide work to those who have none but to generously expend our blood, sweat and effort into giving the poor and the suffering hope and relief from the crushing weight of poverty and pain. There is simply no place for indifference or apathy.
As Francis said in his Christmas day message, “we must look beyond the lights and remember the poor. For on this night of love, may we have only one fear: that of offending God’s love, hurting him by despising the poor with our indifference,’ He further reminded us that the baby Jesus born in poverty as a reminder that serving others is more important than seeking status or social visibility or spending a lifetime in pursuit of success. Quoting a line from a poem by Emily Dickinson – “Who has found the heaven,“ he then said, in his own words: “Let us not lose sight of heaven; let us care for Jesus now, caressing him in the needy, because in them he makes himself known.”
As parting words, Francis hoped that as the world seeks to combine its efforts in order to emerge from the pandemic, people continue to “work with generosity and responsibility in the areas of education, safety and protection, in supplying medical care, in facilitating meetings between family members and the sick, and in providing economic support to the needy and those who have lost their jobs.“ And to government leaders and to all those charged with political and social responsibilities, to priests and pastoral workers, and to all men and women of goodwill, Pope Francis makes this appeal: “Let us walk together with courage and creativity on the path of intergenerational dialogue, education, and work. May more and more men and women strive daily, with quiet humility and courage, to be artisans of peace. And may they be ever inspired and accompanied by the blessings of the God of peace!“
All of these calls for personal and structural change and is captured in one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs:
“Because these things will change, Can you feel it now? These walls that they put up to It’s a revolution, the time will come for us to finally win. And we’ll sing hallelujah, we’ll sing hallelujah.
Tonight we’ll stand, get off our knees. Fight for what we’ve worked for all these years And the battle was long, it’s the fight of our lives but we’ll stand up champions tonight.
It was the night things changed.
Can you see it now? These walls that they put up to hold us back fell down. It’s a revolution, throw your hands up. Cause we never gave in. And we’ll sing hallelujah, we sang halleluja, hallelujah!”
In the year of the Lord 2022, let’s go change ourselves and our world! Let’s love each other. Let’s reject social inequality. Let’s protect this planet.
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