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INTENTION : |
We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.
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Good politics is at the service of peace
The responsibility of political leaders to work for the common good and the integral development of every person is at the core of the teachings emphasized by every leader of the Catholic Church since Pope Leo XIII. This theme has been consistently addressed in the Church's social teachings and various papal encyclicals over the years.
The industrial revolution and the political changes that swept across Europe in the 1800s prompted Pope Leo XIII to write the first encyclical relating to Catholic doctrine on social and economic issues. Rerum Novarum, written in the late 19th century, remains foundational for Catholic social teaching. It addresses the rights and duties of workers and employers and the role of the state in promoting social justice. In Section 25: The Role of the State, he clearly states that "It is the duty of the State to intervene every so often to promote a healthy economy that serves the people, protects the poor, and ensures justice for all."
Approximately 75 years later, the Second Vatican Council's Gaudium et Spes, the pastoral constitution on the Church in the Modern World, echoed these themes in its opening words: "The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts."
Pope Francis echoes the message of his predecessors, calling on political leaders to prioritize the common good and work towards a just society where everyone, especially the marginalized, is cared for. In Fratelli Tutti Chapter 5: A Better Kind of Politics, Pope Francis discusses the role of political leaders in fostering social justice and the common good: "Good politics combines love with hope and with confidence in the reserves of goodness present in human hearts. Hence, a healthy politics is one that promotes human dignity and is rooted in love" (FT 183).
Pope Francis says, "(politics) is like a delicate flower struggling to blossom on the stony ground of violence. We know that the thirst for power at any price leads to abuses and injustice. Politics is an essential means of building human community and institutions, but when political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction.
Jesus tells us that, "if anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all" (Mk 9:35). In the words of Pope Paul VI, "to take politics seriously at its different levels - local, regional, national and worldwide - is to affirm the duty of each individual to acknowledge the reality and value of the freedom offered him to work at one and the same time for the good of the city, the nation and all mankind".
Political office and political responsibility thus constantly challenge those called to the service of their country to make every effort to protect those who live there and to create the conditions for a worthy and just future. If exercised with basic respect for the life, freedom and dignity of persons, political life can indeed become an outstanding form of charity.
Pope Benedict XVI noted that "every Christian is called to practise charity in a manner corresponding to his vocation and according to the degree of influence he wields in the polis... When animated by charity, commitment to the common good has greater worth than a merely secular and political stand would have... Man's earthly activity, when inspired and sustained by charity, contributes to the building of the universal city of God, which is the goal of the history of the human family". This is a programme on which all politicians, whatever their culture or religion, can agree, if they wish to work together for the good of the human family and to practise those human virtues that sustain all sound political activity: justice, equality, mutual respect, sincerity, honesty, fidelity.
It is helpful to recall the "Beatitudes of the Politician", proposed by Vietnamese Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, a faithful witness to the Gospel who died in 2002:
- Blessed be the politician with a lofty sense and deep understanding of his role.
- Blessed be the politician who personally exemplifies credibility.
- Blessed be the politician who works for the common good and not his or her own interest.
- Blessed be the politician who remains consistent.
- Blessed be the politician who works for unity.
- Blessed be the politician who works to accomplish radical change.
- Blessed be the politician who is capable of listening.
- Blessed be the politician who is without fear.
At every stage of public life, it is an opportunity to return to the original points of reference that inspire justice and law. One thing is certain: good politics is at the service of peace. It respects and promotes fundamental human rights and equal employment opportunities which are at the same time mutual obligations, enabling a bond of trust and gratitude to be forged between present and future generations.
In the final analysis, peace is the fruit of a great political project grounded in the mutual responsibility and interdependence of human beings. But it is also a challenge that demands to be taken up ever anew. It entails a conversion of heart and soul; it evokes noble acts both personal and communal.
Adapted from the message of the Holy Father,
for the celebration of the 52nd World Day of Peace,
1 January 2019
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