How did Opus Dei begin?
St. Josemaría, in the early days of Opus Dei, sought strength among Madrid’s poorest.
“I went to seek strength in the poorest neighborhoods of Madrid. Hours and hours, back and forth, every day, on foot from one part to another, among the poor who owned absolutely nothing… but still God’s children. Thus, I went in search of the means to do the Work of God in all these places. The sick constituted the human strength of the Work.”
This intuition — that caring for the weakest strengthens the giver — remains prophetic.
Individualism and consumerism hide fragility by idolizing independence. Yet it is precisely in vulnerability that we discover our common humanity. Illness, poverty, and old age are not threats to dignity but moments when dignity shines most clearly. Care, therefore, is crucial as it is the human and humanizing response to fragility, but it must be given freely and personally.
Care is more than a task; it is a way of relating that acknowledges our shared condition. By recognizing our own vulnerability and that of others, we rediscover human interdependence. This has concrete consequences: the development of palliative care, assistance to families with dependents, the rise of care-oriented professions and the promotion of their dignity, and a growing appreciation for the spiritual, psychological, and emotional dimensions of life are just some examples that have arisen from people with a mission to care, and in and through their personal witness have inspired and strengthened many of these social charity professions.
When a culture of care and, therefore, of gift exists, we overcome individualistic perspectives. Only people know how to care, and we all learn to care when we are cared for.
A better society should aim to educate people capable of caring. That would amount to an atomic bomb against individualism.
Projects will certainly solve concrete problems, but only if accompanied by persons who discover and are inspired to give of themselves freely to others; they will also shine as a light for society.
Conclusion: We must begin by listening.
Listening is not merely a technique to be employed; it is an internal disposition of the soul whereby we freely open our minds and hearts to one another. It is the primordial gesture of care, the foundation of authentic dialogue, and the condition for genuine fraternity.
In every act of listening, there are two persons: one who entrusts, one who receives. To listen is to recognize the other not as object but as subject; to regard the other with love; to attend with both the senses and the heart, allowing their reality to shape our response.
Without listening, the act of giving becomes distorted. It degenerates into paternalism when we impose our own solutions; into dependency, when assistance erodes another’s freedom; or into projection, when what we give reflects our own desires rather than the true needs of the other.
This is the enduring legacy of St. Josemaría: not only to promote institutions, but to inspire persons — one by one — who, by listening and giving of themselves, sow love wherever they are — until society itself is renewed and transformed into a true culture of gift.
Excerpts from Fr. Javier del Castillo. Nov 28 Fri