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In Matthew 25 Jesus brings home to us the truth that when we care for the most vulnerable among us, we care for him. From this Gospel passage, we receive Jesus' instruction on how to love God in the world; we are to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy. That is, we are called to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and imprisoned, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor.
In time, the Church came to understand this command of Jesus as the foundation for what we now call Catholic Social Teaching. Catholic Social Teaching calls us to look critically at our actions and the world and to discern how we might best live our lives in accord with Jesus' command. It calls us to- respect the dignity of life in all its stages
- respect the social dimension of our lives (including our families and communities)
- protect and help fulfill the rights and responsibilities of all
- choose and promote the preferential option for the poor
- respect for the rights and dignity of workers
- live in solidarity with all humanity regardless of race, culture or privilege
- serve as responsible stewards for God's creation