‘Eternal vibrancy’. Since coming across it recently I’ve been pondering this phrase. We are all familiar with the terms ‘eternal life’ or ‘life after death’ and more than likely give little thought to them other than a hope that such will be our destiny. But, the word ‘vibrancy’ has a distinct clout to it. When coupled with the word ‘eternal’ it makes us reflect on the nature of the next world and wonder if the anticipated state is more ‘fully alive’ than we may have hitherto considered.
What leads to eternal vibrancy is ‘temporal vibrancy’, that is – in the words of St. Irenaeus – to be fully alive here and now. To be fully alive is to understand and to live God’s will to the best of our ability. As Matthew 25 teaches us this temporal vibrancy is not experienced in private. Rather, it is a communal manifestation of how we treat each other. It would more suitably be called ‘social vibrancy’.
The discipline of philanthropy is essential for social vibrancy to flourish. It enables two principles of Catholic social teaching to combine forces and to heighten and sustain this vibrance. While each of these two principles can operate on its own, when enacted in tandem they present a formidable power. Solidarity and subsidiarity. What reassuring and – especially now – timely principles.
With regard to solidarity, the principle of fraternal collaboration, one wonders if we are allowing it to fade into irrelevancy. Ours is a world of creeping solipsism where each of us sees himself as a world unto himself independent of and undependent on others. Relativism may be regnant, but relationships are ephemeral. Who needs others?
Subsidiarity is the principle that problems are best addressed and solved at the most local level possible. Solutions start at the bottom, not at the top, with me and not with someone in some distant state. Ironically, in spite of our self-imagined independence we in fact rely more and more on sources outside of ourselves, i.e. not local to ourselves, to address our needs. In surrendering this responsibility for ourselves we thwart our personal development and frustrate our ability to be ‘fully alive’.
How does the discipline of philanthropy relate to the roles these two principles play in social vibrancy?
Philanthropy is the voluntary act of one party to help another party help himself. It is the sustained effort of one group of people to assist another group of people to address and resolve the challenges that impede the full realization of their human dignity. Subsidiarity comes in to play inasmuch as the latter group has the ability and desire to address its needs but lacks the requisite resources, financial or otherwise. Solidarity is realized when the former group provides these necessary resources.
Solidarity and subsidiarity. Each without the other is less effective than both together in promoting social vibrancy. Consider a world where there is universal fraternity but no one is responsible for himself, or a world where everyone is self-sufficient but does nothing to help others. One needn’t delve deep into history to find such examples.
The donors we serve at NCCF appreciate that disciplined philanthropy engenders social vibrancy and results in all involved being more fully alive.