By Antoinette Reaves | National Catholic Reporter

The Golden Rule is not optional. It is a command of Jesus — a way of life that calls us beyond words into witness. But if that is true, then we must also ask a more difficult question: What happens when we do not live it?

The answer is not abstract. It is visible all around us. We see it in empty pews. We hear it in the testimonies of those who have quietly walked away. We feel it in the silence of those who remain but no longer engage. This is not simply a participation issue. It is a crisis of belonging.