Like When One of Your Kids is Sick

by Dan Masterton

I wrote about the Preferential Option a few months ago. My central point was and is that Christ calls us to consider people who are poor, vulnerable, and/or marginalized in every decision we make individually, communally, and socially, and I talked about ways that we can concretely live out this call, especially as so many people are under attack with the actions of our current presidential administration. I invite you to read my post from April, which is kind of like volume one of what I want to share today. The things going on the past few weeks have further magnified the importance of this Catholic Social Teaching, and I wanted to share my reflections as so much bad news continues to wash over us, let alone those who it has more directly impacted.

Let me start by sharing an analogy that I use (and probably many other teachers) to teach the Preferential Option to students: consider a parent who has several children, one of whom is sick while the others are all well. What does the parent inevitably do with and for their sick child? They increase the amount of attention and care to the sick child -- doctor visits, picking up and administering medicine, giving the kid a pass on chores and responsibilities, staying home from work and school to rest, letting the kid sleep in, bringing treats and food to them in bed, etc.

Does this change in care and attention mean that the parent loves the children who are well any less? No, it simply means they have acknowledged the difficult situation of one of their children and endeavored to provide extra support until the child is well, like their siblings. Then, presumably, the parents can revert to giving generally equal care and attention to all children.

This is the heart of the Preferential Option. We must look at our world and society and acknowledge those people who are poor, vulnerable, or marginalized. We must then look at ourselves and our decisions and consider how our actions can incorporate people who may otherwise be forgotten or neglected.

Recently, President Trump decided to retract President Obama’s executive order that enacted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), effective in March 2018. These 800,000 people are undocumented because their parents brought them here outside the legal immigration system when they were children. While the jury is still out in the debate over those laws and what to do with people who have broken them, the children of these people must not be punished for it. Supporting and advocating for their right to apply for and receive work permits (for which they must pay $500 every two years) to study and earn a living here is a just, reasonable way to accommodate these people in America. Backing the young people who are covered by DACA is opting for the vulnerable.

Then, a preponderance of natural disasters struck our continent. As Hurricane Harvey battered the gulf coast of the US, Hurricane Irma (with Jose and Katia looming, too) followed by hammering the Caribbean islands and Florida coast, and an earthquake also devastated a region of Mexico, all this while wildfires blaze in the western US. Myriad people suffered as their homes and belongings were destroyed, and dozens of people died in the disasters. The best of the human spirit emerged as millions of dollars, truckloads and warehouses of supplies, and hours and days of volunteer time were poured into the relief efforts. Supporting those affected by these disasters is opting for the vulnerable.

Now surely there are differences between these things, as a legal, political battle and a natural disaster present unique problems each their own. However, the human element is the common thread, and arguably the most important one. Whether people are affected by their undocumented status due to their parents’ decisions and the laws on the books or people are affected by the winds, rains, and/or quake that hit their hometown, the focus must be on how these realities impact the people involved. This is the essence of the Preferential Option, and this is the prophetic nature of our social teaching. Our priority must be considering how our decisions and actions can respond to those who are vulnerable or marginalized. And this call directs us on how to love well, regardless of the circumstances.

Young people who are undocumented by no fault or decision of their own deserve the chance to live and work without fear of deportation and discrimination; we must opt for these people by voicing support for the program, supporting lawmakers who advocate for it, and encouraging openness to those in business and education who will consider them as employees and students. People who have been impacted by natural disasters deserve help in rebuilding their lives without having to worry about whether or not they can afford everything that’s necessary to regain stability; we must opt for them by offering donations of money and supplies and supporting governmental efforts to facilitate the recovery.

To me, these are not identical issues, but at my heart and in my faith, the rationale and response come from the same place. We must opt for those who are vulnerable or marginalized by making decisions that explicitly include them. This call cohesively informs a just response to so many different kinds of challenges that we may face. I pray that our preferential opting for immigration reform, recovery and relief work, and so much else will steadily clear the margins of our society and move us toward community that can better include everyone.