One human being is worthy of more than all material wealth

By Msgr. John Wynand Katende

Posted on: Saturday, 4th July 2026.

Matthew 8:28-30 gives us the story of the Exorcism of the Gerasene Demoniac. Acknowledging Jesus's power and authority, the demons begged Him not to send them into the "abyss" (their place of final punishment), but, instead, to be sent into a nearby herd of swine. Jesus granted the request. The demons entered the herd of about 6,000 pigs, which then stampeded down a steep bank and drowned in the sea.  

While the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life and human dignity. The man was absolutely tormented day and night by an immeasurable force of evil. So, we must appreciate the powerful miracle of Jesus liberating a suffering human being. The name Jesus means savior of sinners.

With this story, Jesus has given the world its greatest ethical teachings, as also reflected in the commandment to love our neighbor and the Good Samaritan ethic. It has inspired great moral reformations such as the abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement.

Major world religions teach that humans possess a unique soul or are created in the divine image, granting them dominion and stewardship over animals and other lower creatures. Humans have unique, inherent worth that sets them entirely apart from these creatures. They are capable of moral reasoning, understanding right from wrong, and being held legally and morally accountable for their actions.

In true economics, in business and in politics, what counts first and foremost is the human person and his/her ecology. This status is beyond ideologies. As has been observed, ideologies do not take into account human dignity, but end up in dictatorships (Pope Francis).

The ongoing discussion leads us into the concept of Integral Human Development. Integral human development is a core principle of Catholic Social Teaching that demands the holistic flourishing of every person. It insists that authentic development cannot be limited to economic growth alone, but must nurture the whole person—including physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions—and include every single person. The concept negates a consumer society.

A consumer society is described as a social and economic structure that prioritizes the buying and selling of goods and services. In this system, consumption is the primary driver of the economy. People's identities, social status, and lifestyles are largely defined by what they purchase and own. The culture is fueled by advertising that creates a constant desire for newness and a feeling of inadequacy with what people already own. Many goods are purposely designed with limited lifespans to force continuous repurchasing.

Under integral human development, programs like wealth creation must be extended to each person, without exclusion. Political leaders and economists must, hence, not sacrifice human lives on the altar of money and profit. Human labor is honorable, and workers are not mere components in an economic machine. Employers are morally obligated to pay workers enough to support themselves and their families with dignity. Workers have the fundamental right to organize, form trade unions, and strike if necessary to secure fair treatment.

Ownership of private property is a natural right, but it comes with a social responsibility to contribute to the common good. Governments have a duty to intervene in the economy to protect the rights of all citizens, particularly the poor, vulnerable, and working classes. It rejects socialism because socialism threatens natural rights and private property. Yet, it rejects the exploitation and misery caused by extreme laissez-faire capitalism.

The Kingdom of God preached by Christ is not essentially ethical in nature, but is a new and gratuitous initiative of God. It is precisely expounded on in the social teachings of the Church/social gospel. In the wake of the industrial revolution of the 19th century, Pope Leo XIII wrote the encyclical “Rerum Novarum” (Of new things), with the objective of transforming the socialism which rests on the basis of conflicting interests into the “socialism” which rests on the consciousness of a spiritual unity.… He observed that the fallacious principle of the free play of forces is entirely opposed to the Gospel. The influence of the Gospel on society comes about through the individual, not through the community or ecclesial institution.

Recapturing the story of the loss of a herd of pigs to save just one person, St. Augustine says that God's love is not diminished by the number of people He created. If you were the only person to ever exist, the sacrifice of Christ would have been equally necessary and willingly paid just for you. “But God shows his love for us in that while were still sinners, Christ dies for us” - Romans 5:8