What that means is that every dollar you put into the economy is used by some entity for some purpose.

• When you buy groceries at your local supermarket, the money you pay them is used to pay their employees a just wage, cover other expenses, and purchase additional merchandise to sell.  What the company has left over is their profit.
• If that supermarket decides to open another store on the other side of town, they may offer a portion of their company for sale to the public to raise capital to finance their expansion.  When you buy a share of their company stock, you support them in expanding their business.
• When you give money to your local church, charity, or foundation; that money is “invested” - most likely in shares of stocks of different companies, either directly or through a mutual fund or annuity.  Just like the supermarket, that investment gives the company needed capital to support and grow their business.

What does a company choose to do with their profits?  Do they give to charities?  If so, which ones?  Are they supporting Planned Parenthood?  Are they paying a just wage to their employees?  Are they expanding their business to include embryonic stem cell research?  Are they creating violent video games?

In the U.S. , businesses help determine the justice or injustice of the world economy because, while they are not all-powerful, their real power is unquestionable.

The economic decisions you make have human consequences and moral content; they help or hurt people, strengthen or weaken family life, advance or diminish the quality of justice in our land.

Like family life, economic life is one of the chief areas where we live out our faith, love our neighbor, confront temptation, fulfill God’s creative design, and achieve holiness.