In appreciation of the liberty of the human person as the image of God, one should feel solidarity with all other human beings as communion. The more we experience our solidarity as a communion in love, the more we approach the Trinitarian mystery by turning the image into likeness. And yet this likeness to which we are called by definition will never reach the quality or identity of the communion between the Persons of the Holy Trinity, not only because we are not of divine nature, but also because the sinful use of our freedom does not lead us to The Mystery of Person and Human Adventure. Despite the tragic gap in us between “image” and “likeness”, the word of God is, at least for Christians, quite clear and imperative: “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
This solidarity, which involves not only the relations between human persons but also the inter-relationship of all of God’s creation, is expressed so movingly in the following often-quoted passage of St Isak the Syrian: “What is a charitable heart? It is a heart which is burning with charity for the whole creation, for men, for the birds, for the beasts, for the demons – for all creatures. He who has such a heart cannot see or call to mind a creature without his eyes becoming filled with tears by reason of the immense compassion which seizes his heart; a heart which is softened and can no longer bear to see or learn from others of any suffering, even the smallest pain, being inflicted upon a creature. This is why such a man never ceases to pray also for the animals, for the enemies of Truth, and for those who do him evil, that they may be preserved and purified. He will pray even for the reptiles, moved by the infinite pity which reigns in the hearts of those who are becoming united to God”.15
It follows therefore that in every human relationship, there is the likelihood of disagreement over different things because of the imperfection in the human person. Some are more knowledgeable than others. There are some with ability to think faster than others. Some are broadminded, some are narrow-minded, some are self-centered and self-opinionated, and there are others still who are neither here nor there. Some don’t make meaningful contributions at all. There are poor people who are irritable to some rich people. There are generously rich people. There are simple and understanding leaders and followers but there are also proud and conceited leaders and followers.
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