Choosing the Way of Compassion

"Catechists riding habal-habal motor (a Filipino term for motorcycle taxi) to visit remote chapels, living the preferential option for the poor, serving vulnerable families and advancing justice according to Catholic Social Teaching"

Choosing the Way of Compassion: Living the Preferential Option for the Poor

Introduction: Compassion as a Gospel Choice

Compassion is not merely an emotional response to suffering; it is a deliberate moral choice rooted in the Gospel and articulated clearly in Catholic Social Teaching. In a world marked by widening inequality, forced migration, and systemic injustice, the Church calls believers to embrace compassion not as sentiment but as commitment. This commitment takes concrete shape in what Catholic Social Teaching names the preferential option for the poor.

As articulated in Vatican documents such as Gaudium et Spes and later developed in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the preferential option for the poor is inseparable from the pursuit of the common good. A society cannot flourish when the most vulnerable are excluded from participation, protection, and hope.

“A just society can be achieved only in respecting the transcendent dignity of the human person.” — Gaudium et Spes, §26

To choose compassion, therefore, is to align our lives—personally and socially—with God’s enduring concern for those pushed to the margins.

A Call That Begins in the Heart

One morning during a parish outreach in Davao City, I met a grandmother named Aling Vicky who raised five grandchildren in a makeshift home built from scrap wood and an old tarpaulin. She greeted me with a gentle smile and said, “Wala man mi daghan, pero naay Ginoo. (We have little, but we have God.)” In those words was a faith deeper than the poverty she carried. What struck me most was not the material deprivation before us but the quiet hope that sustained her life.

Her story is more than a human-interest anecdote—it reveals the heart of one of the most transformative principles of Catholic Social Teaching: the preferential option for the poor. This is not an abstract theory or a theological slogan but a call that reaches deeply into our conscience. The Church invites us to see Christ in those who lack not only material goods but also access to opportunity, justice, and hope.

“The poor remain entrusted to us, and it is this responsibility upon which we shall be judged at the end of time.” — Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, §183

Rooted in the universal destination of goods, this principle recognizes that the earth’s resources are intended for all, with special moral priority given to those whose dignity is most threatened. As the Compendium explains, the option for the poor must shape not only personal charity but also economic, political, and cultural structures.

Biblical Foundations of God’s Preference

From the earliest pages of Scripture, God’s mercy leans toward the vulnerable. The Law repeatedly instructs Israel to protect widows, orphans, and foreigners—those without social power. The prophets denounce worship that ignores justice, insisting that true fidelity to God is measured by care for the poor (Isaiah 1:17; Amos 5:24).

Jesus embodies this divine preference. He proclaims good news to the poor (Luke 4:18), eats with sinners, touches the unclean, and identifies himself with the hungry, the sick, and the imprisoned (Matthew 25:40). This is not a rejection of others but a revelation of God’s saving priority.

“The measure of love is to love without measure.” — St. Augustine

When Jesus says, “The poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11), he does not normalize injustice. Rather, he establishes the poor as a permanent sacramental presence—an enduring call to compassion, conversion, and justice.

Case Study: Community Kitchens During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of community pantries across the Philippines revealed compassion in action. With the simple invitation—“Give what you can, take what you need”—neighbors became caregivers, and streets became sites of solidarity.

These kitchens were not acts of isolated charity; they were expressions of the common good. As Fratelli Tutti reminds us, authentic social friendship emerges when people recognize shared vulnerability and responsibility.

“When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours.” — St. Ambrose (CSDC §184)

This lived compassion echoes themes explored in Serving the Common Good Through Responsible Action.

Case Study: Indigenous Education and Cultural Empowerment

The Church’s mission among Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Mindanao and other regions demonstrates that poverty is not only economic but cultural and political. Catholic schools and formation programs support IP communities by affirming ancestral identity while providing access to education and leadership development.

Such initiatives reflect the Church’s insistence that development must be integral—respecting culture, land, and spiritual heritage. As Laudato Si’ emphasizes, indigenous communities are key partners in caring for our common home.

For theological reflections linking faith and daily life, see Theology in Everyday Life.

Living the Preferential Option for the Poor Today

1. Examine Our Lifestyle and Choices

CST calls for simplicity and ethical consumption. Choosing fair-trade goods, supporting local producers, and reducing waste are concrete expressions of compassion.

2. Move from Charity to Justice

Charity responds to immediate need; justice transforms systems. Parishes and families can support cooperatives, advocate for just wages, and engage public policy.

For formation resources, visit Seminarians Davao.

3. Practice Mercy as a Way of Life

Daily acts of mercy—listening, accompanying, giving—form habits of compassion. Journaling prayerfully on social issues can deepen this practice.

Suggested resource: Catholic Prayer & Reflection Journal

4. Stand With Those Without Hope

Mental health, migration, and labor exploitation demand compassionate accompaniment. Supporting ministries of presence honors those whose suffering is unseen.

Walking With Christ Through the Poor

The preferential option for the poor is ultimately a path of discipleship. To draw near to the poor is to encounter Christ himself. In doing so, we allow the poor to evangelize us—teaching gratitude, resilience, and trust in God.

“Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity.” — CSDC §184

For reflections on interior commitment and social faith, visit My Committed Heart.

Recommended Resources

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Call to Action: How do you live the preferential option for the poor in your daily choices? Share your reflections in the comments and help build a culture of compassion.

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