April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
EDITORIAL

When charity must be competent

We all want to help. It's human nature and part of our Catholic culture and DNA. When we see others in need or trouble, our hand goes out instinctively. At the least, we intend so. But we can spend a lot of time wandering back and forth on that road to hell paved with nice intentions.

The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and its spread to other countries is a problem of a different nature. It may pass quickly; it may worsen into an epidemic. Still, it requires all of us to exercise skill, hard work, discretion and faith. We need hard heads to go with our soft hearts. 

The crisis and its many aspects - medical, technical, diplomatic, complex and fast-moving - does not invite easy shows of good will. But we can all help in different ways. Mercy comes in many forms. 

At one level, many of us can do our best in jobs that are technical, demanding, boring or overwhelming. Our work as nurses, doctors, pharmaceutical re-searchers, government bureaucrats or clerks who handle healthcare records matters greatly, no matter how distant from the front lines. 

Doing God's will does not always mean serving soup to the hungry or dropping off hand-me-downs at the local pantry. God's will requires concentration and competence, and the readiness to go the extra mile. 

"Jesus said, you're going to do many more miracles than I ever did, but that doesn't mean we have to be St. Francis of Assisi," said Greg Pierce, a leader in the spirituality of work movement, which encourages Christians to fulfill their mission in the offices, farms, hospitals or courtrooms where they spend their days. 

"It means that Jesus would multiply Himself by billions and we would use our brains and talents to do God's work," Mr. Pierce continued. "In the world as it should be, it's not that there would be no swine flu, but that everyone would do their jobs so that the effects would be minimized."

For instance, we all hope that the medical and public health systems will do their jobs, and we should all be glad to pay taxes for such government services. 

In Catholic teaching, good works operate on two levels. Through distributive justice we give goods and services to those in need; through social justice we work to change the structures of society so that it operates for the fair benefit of all. 

We accomplish little, and even cooperate with evil, if we only wring our hands over the conditions of poverty or shoddy health-care that cause or spread illness. As Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement, declared, "Our problems stem from our acceptance of this filthy, rotten system." 

On a more immediate and personal level, we always have a role as citizens and members of society when faced with a crisis, be it medical, economic or violent. At a minimum, we need to learn and understand as much as possible about the situation, in this case swine flu. Then we can take precautions as needed to protect ourselves and others. 

We are also obligated to avoid spreading rumors and needless fear. "Loose lips sink ships," we were advised during World War II. It's relevant advice today. Taking care with words and conversation is always a Christian value. Then, on the basis of truth such as we know it, we can act to good purpose and effect.[[In-content Ad]]

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