2.1.0. Scripture
2.1.2.0. The Virtue of Solidarity and the Commandment of Love
The virtue of solidarity is founded on the commandment of love. As sons and daughters of God we are required to love God and all people who are friends to us, and enemies as well, because God loved us unconditionally through Jesus Christ. It is this power of God’s love that ought to guide, motivate and empower us to love others.68 Scriptural narratives of God’s love
that has been demonstrated in Jesus may enable us to make a link between biblical texts and the lives that we are living today. We realize that we are part of the continuing story of Jesus, who is the love of God and who invites us to love others. The commandment of love, therefore, refers to
66 Karol Wojtyla, Personal and Community: Selected Essay, Translated by Theresa Sandok (New York:
Peter Lang, 1993), 200.
67 Clark, The Vision of Catholic Social Thought, 59.
68 William C. Spohn, What are they Saying About Scripture and Ethics (New York: Paulist Press, 1995),
the revelation of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.69 Through his life and ministry Jesus reveals
God’s love to all people. We as Christians and followers of Jesus ought to love all, friends and enemies alike, as God loves everybody with unconditional love. The commandment of love that has been demonstrated by Jesus’ own life and ministry can create an impact even for the people who are not Christians and those who do not believe in God. The commandment of love has an impact as it touches the everyday experiences of everyone’s life as each live with others in their communities. The commandment challenges and motivates everyone on how to lead a good life with others and work for the well-being of the whole human community.
The type of love for our neighbor, which is unconditional and on which the virtue of solidarity is founded, is illustrated in the story of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:30 – 37). When the lawyer asks the question ‘who is my neighbor?’70 Jesus gives the story of the Good Samaritan71
showing that the point is not ‘who is my neighbor’ but ‘how do I become a neighbor to the other.’ I do not choose the neighbor but rather respond to a need, and by so doing become a neighbor. Through the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus does not define the term “neighbor” in an exclusive sense.72 He obliges the lawyer and everyone who desires to follow him to have a
new perspective on “who is the neighbor.” A neighbor is not only that person who comes from the same family, tribe, religion or political party. A neighbor is every human being.
The story is about a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. The first two are good practicing Jews. According to the Jewish definition of a neighbor, they are real neighbors of the attacked man because they are all fellow Jews. However, the opposite comes with the Samaritan who is a
69 Ibid. 95.
70 Daniel J. Harrington, and James F. Keenan. Jesus and Virtue Ethics: Building Bridges Between New
Testament Studies and Moral Theology (New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005), 80.
71 Ibid. 72 Ibid.
stranger and enemy according to Jewish tradition.73 This enemy who is not even a Jewish is the
one who becomes the helper of the Israelite who has been attacked by robbers. From this story Jesus challenges “the lawyer to broaden his definition of “neighbor” to include persons outside his narrow ethnic and social parameters. Indeed the compassion that the Samaritan displays toward the Jewish stranger is preached to the lawyer as an example to be imitated.”74
Following the story, the commandment of love calls people of Tanzania to become compassionate like God our father. To be compassionate means to suffer with other people and feel their suffering. Through his life and ministry, Jesus teaches us even to love and suffer with our enemies. This shows how God’s compassion is unconditional and that is what we are invited to become, that is, people of compassion to all. With this attitude of compassion we shall be able to love and live in solidarity with our brothers and sisters regardless of our diversities in age, sex, family, clan, tribe, color or religion. Thus from the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells the people of Tanzania to follow the example of the Samaritan in their daily conduct. They have to show compassion and love for those they encounter in their daily activities. They have to love one another regardless of their diversities. They have to set aside their prejudices and show love and compassion to their fellow members of the community.75 They have to know that the
concept of neighbor is not limited to a fellow family member, tribe member, or religious group member, or person with whom you share the same political ideology. The neighbor is anyone encountered in daily life. They should know that they are all sons and daughters of God and belong to one God. This knowledge informs how the commandment of love may motivate citizens of Tanzania and especially public servants to treat others with care, respect and be committed to the well-being of every one in the society.
73 Ibid. 74 Ibid. 75 Ibid.
However, one major objection to the commandment of love could be difficulties in its applicability for those citizens who are not Christians. How could non-Christians who neither go to Church nor read the Bible benefit from this commandment of love? In response to the objection, the commandment of love is found in all major religions that exist in Tanzania. You go to traditional religions, Islam, Hinduism or Christianity; this concept of love for God and neighbor is there. But the question remains, why do people go against this key commandment if it is found in their different religious traditions? I think the challenge remains both to religious leaders and followers of different religious beliefs to go back to the teachings of their religions and try to rediscover key values that will subsequently enable them to live in solidarity with one another. Moreover, education can be one of the major solutions. Good education, like the system of self-reliance, might help the people of Tanzania to grow in love and the virtue of solidarity and hence work for the promotion of better living conditions.