The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops states “The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.”

As children of God, we are all created in his image. Sacred Scripture teaches us to love our neighbor, but many are not following this mandate that Jesus gave as the greatest commandment. Human dignity does not define or discriminate against race, class, gender or religion.

The basic human dignity of every person should be at the root of how we carry ourselves and treat others. All people— those on the margins, the incarcerated, the disabled, the unemployed, the seemingly unlovable— all deserve fair treatment and the respect that is demanded as a beloved child of God.

Catholic Social Teaching instructs us to love and not to judge. We must see life through the eyes of an unbiased child. They give unconditional love— until shown differently by those around them. The human dignity of all calls for equality: no one is above another or worth more. We all have received the same calling to help others without judgment or reason. It may be as simple as offering a smile or holding a door open for the person behind us. Or the call may spur us into action, such as helping at a soup kitchen or volunteering at a hospital. As our world continues to face the challenges of war overseas and hate crimes globally, we need to be ready to open our doors to welcome people in and share our clean running water, warm meal or safe place and to be empathetic of their challenges and economic downfalls. This allows us to reinstate Human Dignity.

What is God calling you to do?