Every Catholic Should Support Universal Healthcare
Growing up, I went to Catholic school from Monday till Friday and woke up early every Sunday for extra religion classes before mass. My parents each served the parish in different passages on the board or teaching First Communion classes or being principal of the children’s program, and my brother was just as involved as I. My single-sex Catholic high school furthered this education, as there was never a semester without a religion class or a month without a service. To say I was merely influenced by Catholicism and my beliefs as Maronite is an understatement.
Though the Catholic Church rightfully needs to be criticized for its infinite scandals and it’s historical wrongdoings, there’s one wonderful theme that constantly comes up in biblical text, but Catholic Republicans seem to avoid it: treat others as you want to be treated.
Most of Jesus’ teachings address loving each other and caring for your community. Jesus protected prostitutes from being stoned to death, He befriended and healed lepers, He brought a man back from the dead, His final wish was for a man He considered His brother to look after His mom! The Gospel is overflowing with stories of compassion, care, and being there for people who will never be able to repay your kindness. Since these are the words and stories ringing through every Catholic’s ears come Sunday, I can’t help but wonder—why are there Catholics against universal healthcare?
Countries all across the world have healthcare regulated by their governments to ensure people get the medication and care they need in a cost-effective and timely manner. However, the religious right in the United States seems to be against this concept, preferring people to go bankrupt than help out a neighbor.
If someone living in poverty needs a life-saving surgery that they are genuinely unable to afford, should they just die? Even if you’re a middle class American, you most likely can’t cough up a quarter of a million dollars for a heart bypass or an organ transplant.
Jesus didn’t perform miracles solely for the wealthy. If anything, he did the exact opposite of that. He replenished bread and fish for 5,000 people just because they showed up to hear Him speak—He fed everyone He could. He wanted to protect and help everyone He could, even if they weren’t Christians or Jewish.
Biblical text concurs with political arguments about the necessity of universal healthcare time and time again.
Does God want you to assist others, even if they didn’t pick themselves up by their own bootstraps? Glatians 6:2 reads, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ,” while Philippians 2:4 furthers the stance by stating, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
There’s a Bible verse that verbatim says, ”Heal the sick. . .” (Matthew 10:8). The words are found in the book word for word. Galatians 6:10 can be used to add to that, as it says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” This phrase is not stating people must only help other Christians, but rather help everyone, but especially those who believe as you do. That could be interpreted as solely other Christians, or it can be anyone following an Abrahamic faith, or simply anyone who believes in helping others and loving one another.
The Golden Rule, which is the primary message of the New Testament and the ultimate truth that Jesus came down to let people know (which is also known as Matthew 7:12) says, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” If my mom was in dire need of medication she could not afford, of course I would implore any and everyone to please help my family and hopefully, someone could. I wouldn’t care if you were a CEO or a teacher or an influencer, I would just be grateful someone saved my mom’s life. So why wouldn’t you want others to do the same?
If you truly want to see the issue of universal healthcare in a self-promoting light, there's a biblical text that deciphers how you can benefit from assisting others. If you can’t find it in your heart to help someone who could live to see another day because your tax dollars help fund the reasonably priced medication that progressive politicians you voted for helped regulate, look to Proverbs 19:17: “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”
Unless you’re clinging to the archaic beliefs that diseases are punishments directly sent from God as a means of punishing sinners, there’s no reason a supposedly devout Catholic should oppose universal healthcare.
The Word of God preaches helping everyone and taking care of the needy. Which would God prefer from people who claim to follow him—cluttering Facebook feeds with posts about pulling yourself up by yourself or seeing His followers give money in His name, donating supplies to the needy and money to mutual aid and caring for their community the way they would want their loved ones cared for in their time of need? I’m no theologian, but if you ask me, actively being against helping your neighbor seems sinful.
Now take away the Bible. Even if the Bible lacked the evidence needed to promote universal healthcare, what about your personal humanity? If you truly do believe God formed us all in our mother’s womb and knows every hair on every person’s head because of His infinite and unconditional love, do you think that love stops because someone’s poor? Because someone’s homeless? Because someone has to choose between taking prescription grade insulin or rent? Because someone was born with a bad heart? If you really did love your God, you would want to care for everyone he created too.
Cover Photo by The National Economic and Social Rights Initiative. Edited by Madison Case.
