So often this year we woke up to headlines announcing catastrophic natural disasters. On December 26, 2004 the "Boxing Day" Tsunami hit South-East Asia and East Africa. On August 29th of this year Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. Most recently, on October 8th an earthquake registering 7.6 on the Richter scale hit Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
The death tolls of these natural disasters are astonishing because the numbers have grown so high. For example the "Boxing Day" Tsunami took the lives of over 275,000 people. Hurricane Katrina took over 1,300 lives and displaced some 250,000 others. The Pakistani Earthquake took over 75,000 lives while making 3.3 million survivors homeless. The last figure bears repeating. 3.3 million are now homeless because of the earthquake in South Asia. That is almost double the combined populations of Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.
Each of these disasters happened in different ways and took place in various parts of the world, still one can find similarities among them. The most striking similarity is that the poor were hit the hardest. You don't need statistics to figure this one out, just by turning on the T.V. anyone can see who bore the brunt of these disasters. The island countries hit by the tsunami could not afford the warning systems that wealthier countries possess. The poor communities in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi were among those who felt the greatest impact after Katrina caused major flooding. The mountain dwellers of Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan are still waiting for basic aid. All of these conditions were brought about by one predominant cause - poverty.
The poor, in each of the above situations, were affected more than others. This reality presents us with a few tough questions; How did all of these people become poor? What could have been done to prevent the situation? Were these disasters natural, or man-made? There is no simple answer to these questions, but certainly something could have been done. Something can still be done.
Catholic Connections
A big part of the solution lies in one word: solidarity. Our Bishops frequently talk about solidarity. In Faithful Citizenship , they wrote
We are one human family. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they may be. Pope John Paul II insisted, 'We are all really responsible for all.' Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that 'if you want peace, work for justice.' The Gospel calls us to be 'peacemakers.' Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we be 'sentinels of peace' in a world wounded by violence and conflict.Solidarity may sound like a confusing concept, but we can understand it by reflecting on its meaning and by examining how solidarity can be put into practice. Solidarity is structuring your existence in such a way that your total behavior honors yourself, other people, living beings and the created world. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. , "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Solidarity is an understandable concept, and it is also powerful when put into practice. A small act has the potential for a number of positive effects. Think of those who boycotted the busses in Montgomery in solidarity with Rosa Parks . Or think of those who joined Craig Kielburger in his mission to end child labor. The next time we witness a social injustice like poverty, we can be guided by the words of our Bishops and Martin Luther King, Jr. by asking, "How can I stand in solidarity with the poor?"
Reflection Questions
How are the poor responded to in your community? Are they treated with solidarity?
How do you typically look at and respond to the poor? Why?
Join us in our Forum to discuss these questions!
