Sunday, June 10, 2026 • The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
We, though many, are one body — 1 Corinthians 10:17
Today’s scripture passage made me think of a term made popular by Saint Pope John Paul II—solidarity. I have an old book of inspirational thoughts called Leaves of Gold (Coslett, 1948) that I like to open on occasion and then reflect upon the words I find written there. One of its little pieces of wisdom seems to be a good definition of the meaning of solidarity.
There is an old legend of a general who found his troops disheartened. He believed it was owing to the fact that they did not realize how close they were to the other divisions of the same army on account of a dense growth of small trees and shrubbery, Orders therefore were given to “Burn the underbrush.” It was done and they saw they were not isolated as they had supposed, but were part of one great army. . .So let us burn the brushwood. . .of prejudice, mistrust, and separation. We all have far more in common than we think. We are all under the same great Captain. (127).
Our U.S. Catholic Bish ops have expressed the same sentiment: We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/solidarity.cfm
Taking our understanding of solidarity a step further, the First Letter to the Corinthians states in 12:26, “If one member of Christ’s body suffers, all suffer.” What is the solution for Catholic Christians? The USCCB document, Economic Justice for All (365) gives us the answer: We have to move from our devotion to independence, through an understanding of interdependence, to a commitment to human solidarity. That challenge must find its realization in the kind of community we build among us. Love implies concern for all – especially the poor – and a continued search for those social and economic structures that permit everyone to share in a community that is a part of a redeemed creation (Rom 8:21-23).
How are you practicing solidarity? What steps are you taking to bring down the human walls of prejudice, mistrust, and separation? We are one body.
Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director
Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral Raleigh, NC