Here’s the deal. The Decemberists had it right when they said “You must bear your neighbor’s burden…” [lyrics] At some point in your spiritual development, you will suddenly understand what Dostoevsky was talking about. When I first read about being responsible for all, I was completely confused and, quite truthfully, somewhat affronted. But this theme is echoed in the lives of the Saints and in scripture. We are responsible for everyone else.
Moreover, there is a twofold reality at work here, which is hard to perceive. The first part, which is clearly laid out by the catechism and upheld by the Catholic Church, is that there is no such thing as a neutral moral action. EVERY action, banal or batman-esque, has a moral coefficient — it is either good or evil. (An interesting corollary is that “0” or “zero” doesn’t exist.)
And the second part of the reality is that every action we make affects everyone else.
The internet is abuzz with this concept and variations of it (proceed with caution!), including statements from the Jewish community, the new agey/Buddhists, random musings, and Pope Saint John Paul the Second!
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