We believe that God loves everyone in such a way that even our most powerful experience of love is just a taste of how much God loves us. God loves each of us equally, but Scripture reminds us that some people's needs are so urgent and so great that their needs come first. Therefore, while everyone is important, those who have no voice in our society, those whose human rights are violated, those whose dignity is not recognized, must take our first priority as Catholic Christians. Jesus' story of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) teaches us that when we enter into the lives and the struggles of the poor and vulnerable, we will experience Jesus' presence in a real and powerful way.
"In protecting the rights of the private individual...special consideration must be given to the weak and the poor." Pope Leo XIII, On the Condition of Workers Rerum Novarum, No. 54
When He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the
captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
And He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then He began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:16-21
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