Tuesday, 26 February 2019

COLLABORATION WITH ALL PEOPLES OF GOODWILL

20190227 COLLABORATION WITH ALL PEOPLES OF GOODWILL


27 FEBRUARY, 2019, Wednesday, 7th Week, Ordinary Time
Sir 4:11-19
11 Wisdom exalts her sons 
and gives help to those who seek her. 
12 Whoever loves her loves life, 
and those who seek her early will be filled with joy. 
13 Whoever holds her fast will obtain glory, 
and the Lord will bless the place shep enters. 
14 Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One;q
the Lord loves those who love her. 
15 He who obeys her will judge the nations, 
and whoever gives heed to her will dwell secure. 
16 If he has faith in her he will obtain her; 
and his descendants will remain in possession of her. 
17 For at first she will walk with him on tortuous paths, 
she will bring fear and cowardice upon him, 
and will torment him by her discipline 
until she trusts him, 
and she will test him with her ordinances. 
18 Then she will come straight back to him and gladden him, 
and will reveal her secrets to him. 
19 If he goes astray she will forsake him, 
and hand him over to his ruin.

165 Great peace have those who love thy law; 
nothing can make them stumble.
168 I keep thy precepts and testimonies, 
for all my ways are before thee.
171 My lips will pour forth praise 
that thou dost teach me thy statutes. 
172 My tongue will sing of thy word, 
for all thy commandments are right.
174 I long for thy salvation, O Lord, 
and thy law is my delight. 
175 Let me live, that I may praise thee, 
and let thy ordinances help me.

Mark 9:38-40
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name,k and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us is for us.


COLLABORATION WITH ALL PEOPLES OF GOODWILL


SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Sir 4:11-19Ps 119: 165,168,171-2,174-5Mk 9:38-40]
The rise of secularism is partly due to rationalism, but it is also the result of division and competition among religions.  In order to protect the unity of the country, a secular government is needed to ensure neutrality and impartiality.  However, the consequence of this is that religion gradually gets pushed out of public life until it is relegated to the domain of the private life of its citizens, spoken and practised only at home or in temples, mosques and churches.
This temptation to parochialism and protectionism is evident in many organizations, including religions organizations.  This was what happened to the disciples during the time of Jesus.  John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.”  We want everyone to belong to our organization, and anyone who does not, is considered anathema.  This was the case of the Church before Vatican II, when it was taught that the Catholic Church was the ONLY true Church of Christ and all other Christian communities were “false” churches; or that there is no salvation outside the Church.
However, Jesus makes it clear in today’s gospel how we should deal with others who do not belong to our group.  He said, “You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me.  Anyone who is not against us is for us.”  It means therefore that anyone who is not opposed to Jesus and His message is on our side.  Some might know Jesus differently from the way we Catholics and Christians know Him.  Even among Catholics, there are many ways to know Christ.  Others might not even accept Jesus as the Son of God, but they agree with the values that He taught and the life that He lived.  So there are different levels of relationship and recognition of Jesus.  But so long as goodwill people seek to live in truth and love, they are actually on our side and not against us.  This explains the Church’s attitude towards non-Catholic Christians, those from other religions and even people with no religion.  It does not mean that just because they are not Catholic, they are our enemies or competitors.  We are all collaborators in building the kingdom of God, the kingdom of love, justice, equality, peace and harmony.
With respect to Christians, Vatican II in Lumen Gentium says, “This is the one Church of Christ which in the Creed is professed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic … constituted and organized in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him, although many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside of its visible structure. These elements, as gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, are forces impelling toward catholic unity.”  (LG 8) In this paragraph, the Church no longer equates the Catholic Church with the Church of Christ, rather, she simply states that the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church.  All the other Christian communities share in gifts of the Church of Christ in different ways and in different degrees.  She is linked to them in many ways, such as in baptism and the Eucharist, reverence for the Sacred Scripture, prayers, etc.  (cf LG 15)   That is why with non-Catholic Christians, we should be thankful that many people are coming to know Christ and the gospel through their proclamation of the Word or God and their love.  What is important is that many people are brought to know Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  It is immaterial who brings the person to the Lord, so long as he comes to know Him and find fullness of salvation.  Since we cannot reach out to all of humanity, we should give thanks and praise to God that other Christians are able to go to those areas where Christ has not yet been proclaimed.
With respect to people of other faiths, the Church recognizes that “other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by proposing ‘ways,’ comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites. The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself.”  (Nostra Aetate, 2) Even if not all know Christ as the fullness of revelation, all religions in some ways point to the Sacred and the Ultimate in life.  They teach us how to live a life of love, compassion, forgiveness and charity in truth.  That this world is a more peaceful and harmonious place and people find meaning and purpose in life is already something for us to thank God and praise Him for His goodness.
With respect to people without faith, the Church teaches that, “Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.  Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. (LH 16)
“The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.”  (NA, 2)   Not only are we called to collaborate with people of other religions, but even those who have no faith as well.  The first reading reminds us that all of us are the sons and daughters of Wisdom.  We all participate in the truth and love of God.  “Wisdom brings up her own sons, and cares for those who seek her.  Whoever loves her loves life, those who wait on her early will be filled with happiness.  Whoever holds her close will inherit honour, and wherever he walks the Lord will bless him.  Those who serve her minister to the Holy One, and the Lord loves those who love her.”  Those who seek for wisdom, for truth and love indirectly know God because God is Wisdom Himself.  That is why those who seek the path of wisdom walks in truth and love. “Whoever obeys her judges aright, and whoever pays attention to her dwells secure.  If he trusts himself to her he will inherit her; and his descendants will remain in possession on her.”
So what hinders us from cooperating and collaborating with each other?  It is due to human weakness, namely, fear, insecurity, selfishness and narrow-mindedness.   If people are defensive of their religion and feel threatened by other religions or even among organizations, it is because they fear that the others are growing in membership over them.  They are afraid that their members would steal from them.  So it is not about whether they live a better and happier life, or not whether they belong to their religion or organization.  The focus is not on them but on the organization.  Others are more interested to get recognition for the work they do.  They want the world to know that they are the ones helping the poor and are doing good works, so that they get the credit and the publicity for their organization.  It is not about who is being helped, but who is helping the people.  Thus religions and organizations compete with each other, so as to prove that they are better and more generous than the others.   Most of all, the reluctance to cooperate with other people of goodwill stems from their narrow-mindedness and exclusive doctrines.  Such exclusive religious teachings will only divide the people.  Religions must seek to embrace what is common to all and respect the differences.  But in truth, religions have more in common in fundamental principles.
So let us purify ourselves in love and in wisdom so that all religions and people of goodwill can come together to celebrate the oneness of our human family.   This is an ongoing journey and leaders must constantly teach and remind their followers to walk in love and compassion.  We will make mistakes along the way, but through the slip-ups, we learn how to relate and dialogue more and more with people who do not share our faith.  This is what the book of Wisdom says, “for though she takes him at first through winding ways, bringing fear and faintness on him, plaguing him with her discipline until she can trust him, and testing him with her ordeals, in the end she will lead him back to the straight road, and reveal her secrets to him.  If he wanders away she will abandon him, and hand him over to his fate.” Indeed, wisdom is the only law that leads us to peace and freedom as the psalmist says, “The lovers of your law have great peace; they never stumble.  I obey your precepts and your will; all that I do is before you.”


Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved


No comments:

Post a Comment