By FATHER JIM CESTA
The social dimension of being a Catholic companion of the Lord Jesus starts with remembering that only three of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship with God — the other seven have us consider our social relationship with other people.
Sometimes, good and devout Catholic folks really fall into believing that our beautiful worship — the Mass, sacraments rituals and customs — are the only requirements of the person of faith. These “spiritual and Spirit-filled” dimensions of a life of faith are so important and needed to nourish faith. They are the source and summit, especially the Holy Eucharist.
We are social beings by nature, however, which means reaching out and taking part together in all the elements of walking the way of Jesus, walking in the way of faith, cannot be absent or avoided.
Some people, saying they are good Catholics, only go to Mass and do nothing else. Some Catholic people would go to Mass three times a day and never interact or participate in actually “being Church,” which is different from just going to Church. Being Church means doing your part — participating in programs, projects and social events, and reaching out to represent your parish household in the wider community where you live.
To be Church might be seen when someone offers to teach the faith to our youngsters, or volunteering at the local soup kitchen, possibly visiting shut-ins or hospital patients, maybe helping organize enjoyable parish events that boost our spirits.
The social outreach of a life of faith might even prompt someone to speak out, to protest something that is clearly wrong, even unethical. In the Sacrament of Confession, most penitents start with whatever they did wrong. It takes some advising to remind that person to consider the good that should have been done that wasn’t done. Usually that means the social dimension of our wondrous faith.