CATHOLICS have been urged not just to follow the light of Jesus, but also to be shining beacons for others in a modern world where God has been forgotten.
This request comes from the Australian Catholic bishops in their 2005 Social Justice Sunday Statement.
Social Justice Sunday will be celebrated in parishes nationally this weekend.
The bishops’ statement, “Jesus, Light for the World – Living the Gospel Today”, is based on Gospel accounts of the ministry of Jesus and the call to care for people who are marginalised – the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger (Mt 25:31-46).
Catholics are asked to consider how they are being called to bring Christ’s light to all people, serving them in their need and celebrating their joys and hopes.
Australian Catholic Social Justice Council chairman, Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome, said it was difficult to live as a Catholic, surrounded by a culture that was non-Christian.
“The values of this culture are not the values of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Catholics needed to ask themselves “what would Christ do” as they strove to be a shining light for others to follow, Bishop Saunders said.
He said to follow the light of Jesus and help others to follow in the light could only be done by getting to know Jesus.
Many other issues were addressed in the annual statement by the bishops, with particular focus on the amount of wealth Australians waste in a world where poverty affects billions.
The statement said each year Australians spent more than $10 billion on products and services that were not used, including $5 billion on food that was ultimately thrown out.
Go to Social Justice Sunday Statement www.acbc.catholic.org.au/latest.html
