“Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”
-James 5:4
After reflecting on today’s scripture passages, the second reading specifically stood out to me in a profound way. Immediately, thoughts about unfair working conditions in today’s commercial and agricultural world fought their way into the forefront of my mind. Human beings around the globe are subject to exploitation on a daily basis due to harsh and unjust working environments, environments that are fueled largely by a consumeristic, commercial atmosphere.
Consumerism at the cost of human dignity is something we have all come into contact with at some point or another in our lives, whether we realize it or not. From the clothes we wear, to the fruits and vegetables we eat, we are consistently making choices in regards to which companies we are going to buy from and which products we are going to purchase. While doing this however, we may also be supporting companies that treat their workers in an unjust and inhumane manner. This is an issue that I think directly ties into today’s second reading.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he spent much of his time reaching out and loving the marginalized and suffering; in so doing, Jesus strived to make the splendor of each human person recognized in the eyes of everyone around him. As Christians in today’s world, we are time and again barraged by the stark reality of the suffering surrounding us in our lives. Often times though, it is difficult to know what to do in regards to making this world a better place; it is difficult to feel like we have the power to do anything. It is a feeling of helplessness I think we all can relate to. Instead of falling into despair, however, we can work to understand that even the smallest of our actions can indeed help to make this world a better place and move us closer to bringing about the Kingdom of God. One such action may be choosing to buy products from socially responsible companies that treat their workers with respect and dignity (such as Alta Gracia products in the Creighton bookstore). Making socially conscious decisions in regards to what we buy has the potential to positively impact not only workers in our own countries, but also in countries around the world.
We as human beings have so much potential to make this world a more just and loving place, and it begins with our own individual decisions. Again and again, Jesus chose to love in the face of adversity; let us also, as Christians and human beings, strive to do the same, even if we feel like our actions may never be enough.
“The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.”
Mother Teresa
