12. Born and raised in humble conditions, Jesus reveals the dignity of the needy and those who labor.[Cf. Paul VI, Address to the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Visit to the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth (5 January 1964)] Then, throughout his public ministry, he affirms the value and dignity of all who bear the image of God, regardless of their social status and external circumstances. Jesus broke down cultural and cultic barriers, restoring dignity to those who were “rejected” or were considered to be on the margins of society, such as tax collectors (cf. Matthew 9:10-11), women (cf. John 4:1-42), children (cf. Mark 10:14-15), lepers (cf. Matthew 8:2-3), the sick (cf. Mark 1:29-34), strangers (cf. Matthew 25:35), and widows (cf. Luke 7:11-15).
This is consistent with the Father. The God of the Old Testament seemed to take special joy in seeking out people on the margins: the runt son, the stutterer, the immigrant widow. Sure: a royal line was established, but the best-regarded of them were grave sinners. Jesus seems to prefer hanging out with those of questionable, and even non-religious connections, further reinforcing the notion that people don’t earn, buy, or worm their way into God’s good graces. Everybody is possible.
He heals, feeds, defends, liberates, and saves. He is described as a shepherd who is concerned about the one sheep that was lost (cf. Matthew 18:12-14). He identifies with the least of his (sisters and brothers): “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).
This is no throwaway reference. Jesus suggests we will really find him among the needy, and that if we open our generous impulses and share what we have, we will encounter him, truly.
In biblical language, the “little ones” are not only the children, but are also the vulnerable, the most insignificant, the outcast, the oppressed, the discarded, the poor, the marginalized, the unlearned, the sick, and those who are downtrodden by the powerful. The glorious Christ will judge by the love of neighbor that consists in ministering to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, with whom he identifies (cf. Matthew 25:34-36). For Jesus, the good done to every human being, regardless of the ties of blood or religion, is the single criterion of judgment.
Was it enough for Jesus to set the example? Saint Paul puts it into writing directly:
The apostle Paul affirms that every Christian must live according to the requirements of dignity and respect for the rights of all people (cf. Romans 13:8-10) according to the new commandment of love (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13).
Click this link to read the DDDF document on the Vatican site.
Catholic Sensibility 