Friday 25 September 2015

ARE YOU JEALOUS ON MY ACCOUNT?

XXVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
Rejoice with the good you see in others
Those who are great are not afraid of their greatness being diminished or destroyed  by what others do. In the first reading of this Sunday’s liturgy, we hear about Joshua’s jealousy, when he heard that “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” (Num 11:27). He saw that  prophesying as something happening outside Moses’ authority and understood it as a menace to his greatness. This attitude comes from a sense of insecurity, seeing threats where there are no threats, and claiming exclusive control of all tools of power and influence, so that there is no possible challenge those in power.
Moses reproached Joshua for his jealousy, saying:
“Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!” (Num 11:29).
The gospel presents a similar situation, when the apostle John reported to Jesus that they had stopped someone who was healing in his name, without being his follower. Like Moses, Jesus reproached the Apostles for their jealousy, and told them:
“Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mk 9:40).
We must learn to give others a space to be themselves and to put their abilities in action. Seeing the good that is in others or done by others, we should rejoice, instead of demonising them, making their life impossible. We don’t do, and we don’t allow others to do.
Stumbling block
And Jesus warns us in very strong words about being a stumbling block for others, mainly if we cause the little ones to loose faith and to fall. These words apply specially to all those who are in positions of leadership, and make others loose heart or go astray. We may be a stumbling block by our words and by our deeds, and that is so whenever we become role models for evil instead of good. And nowadays, we find far worse than that: there are people and groups who use and abuse the little ones to get huge profits. There are criminal groups who use the internet and the social networks to seduce children, destroying their innocence and transforming them into slaves. We need to be alert to protect our children and to protect the faith of our people. If we ignore the danger that surrounds our children, we will be responsible for the evil done to them and our punishment will be harsh.

“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.” (Mk 9:42).

Thursday 24 September 2015

THE POPE’S SPEECH TO THE AMERICAN CONGRESS

Pope Francis’ address to the joint session of United States Congress was an extraordinary event, which I watched on CNN. I present his message, which is a universal message.

Mr. Vice-President,
Mr. Speaker,
Honorable Members of Congress,
Dear Friends,
I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of Congress in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”.  I would like to think that the reason for this is that I too am a son of this great continent, from which we have all received so much and toward which we share a common responsibility.
Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation.  You are the face of its people, their representatives.  You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics.  A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people.  To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.
Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of Moses.  On the one hand, the patriarch and lawgiver of the people of Israel symbolizes the need of peoples to keep alive their sense of unity by means of just legislation.  On the other, the figure of Moses leads us directly to God and thus to the transcendent dignity of the human being.  Moses provides us with a good synthesis of your work: you are asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face.
Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the entire people of the United States. Here, together with their representatives, I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest day’s work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and –one step at a time – to build a better life for their families.  These are men and women who are not concerned simply with paying their taxes, but in their own quiet way sustain the life of society.  They generate solidarity by their actions, and they create organizations which offer a helping hand to those most in need. 
I would also like to enter into dialogue with the many elderly persons who are a storehouse of wisdom forged by experience, and who seek in many ways, especially through volunteer work, to share their stories and their insights.  I know that many of them are retired, but still active; they keep working to build up this land.  I also want to dialogue with all those young people who are working to realize their great and noble aspirations, who are not led astray by facile proposals, and who face difficult situations, often as a result of immaturity on the part of many adults.  I wish to dialogue with all of you, and I would like to do so through the historical memory of your people.
My visit takes place at a time when men and women of good will are marking the anniversaries of several great Americans.  The complexities of history and the reality of human weakness notwithstanding, these men and women, for all their many differences and limitations, were able by hard work and self-sacrifice – some at the cost of their lives – to build a better future.  They shaped fundamental values which will endure forever in the spirit of the American people.  A people with this spirit can live through many crises, tensions and conflicts, while always finding the resources to move forward, and to do so with dignity.   These men and women offer us a way of seeing and interpreting reality.  In honoring their memory, we are inspired, even amid conflicts, and in the here and now of each day, to draw upon our deepest cultural reserves.
I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.
This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the guardian of liberty, who labored tirelessly that “this nation, under God, [might] have a new birth of freedom”.  Building a future of freedom requires love of the common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity.
All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing social and political situation of the world today.  Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion.  We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism.  This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind.  A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.  But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners.  The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps.  We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within.  To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.  That is something which you, as a people, reject.
Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice.  We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to resolve today’s many geopolitical and economic crises.  Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent.  Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples.  We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.
The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States.  The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.
In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to building and strengthening society.  It is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each society.  Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus.
Here I think of the political history of the United States, where democracy is deeply rooted in the mind of the American people.  All political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity.  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776).  If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance.  Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life.  I do not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I encourage you in this effort.
Here too I think of the march which Martin Luther King led from Selma to Montgomery fifty years ago as part of the campaign to fulfill his “dream” of full civil and political rights for African Americans.  That dream continues to inspire us all.  I am happy that America continues to be, for many, a land of “dreams”.  Dreams which lead to action, to participation, to commitment.  Dreams which awaken what is deepest and truest in the life of a people.
In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom.  We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners.  I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.  Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected.  For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation.  Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present.  Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past.  We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us.  Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best.  I am confident that we can do this.
Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War.  This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions.  On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities.  Is this not what we want for our own children?  We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation.  To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal.  We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome.  Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).
This Rule points us in a clear direction.  Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated.  Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves.  Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves.  In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.  The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.  The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.
This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty.  I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes.  Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty.  Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.
In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement.  Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.
How much progress has been made in this area in so many parts of the world!  How much has been done in these first years of the third millennium to raise people out of extreme poverty!  I know that you share my conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost.  At the same time I would encourage you to keep in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty.  They too need to be given hope.  The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes.  I know that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem.
It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth.  The right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable.  “Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world.  It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129).  This common good also includes the earth, a central theme of the encyclical which I recently wrote in order to “enter into dialogue with all people about our common home” (ibid., 3).  “We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all” (ibid., 14).
In Laudato Si’, I call for a courageous and responsible effort to “redirect our steps” (ibid., 61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity.  I am convinced that we can make a difference, I'm sure and I have no doubt that the United States – and this Congress – have an important role to play.  Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a “culture of care” (ibid., 231) and “an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature” (ibid., 139).  “We have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology” (ibid., 112); “to devise intelligent ways of… developing and limiting our power” (ibid., 78); and to put technology “at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral” (ibid., 112).  In this regard, I am confident that America’s outstanding academic and research institutions can make a vital contribution in the years ahead.
A century ago, at the beginning of the Great War, which Pope Benedict XV termed a “pointless slaughter”, another notable American was born: the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton.  He remains a source of spiritual inspiration and a guide for many people.  In his autobiography he wrote: “I came into the world.  Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in the image of the world into which I was born.  That world was the picture of Hell, full of men like myself, loving God, and yet hating him; born to love him, living instead in fear of hopeless self-contradictory hungers”.  Merton was above all a man of prayer, a thinker who challenged the certitudes of his time and opened new horizons for souls and for the Church.  He was also a man of dialogue, a promoter of peace between peoples and religions.
From this perspective of dialogue, I would like to recognize the efforts made in recent months to help overcome historic differences linked to painful episodes of the past.  It is my duty to build bridges and to help all men and women, in any way possible, to do the same.  When countries which have been at odds resume the path of dialogue – a dialogue which may have been interrupted for the most legitimate of reasons – new opportunities open up for all.  This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility.  A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism.  A good political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than possessing spaces (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 222-223).
Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world.  Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?  Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood.  In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.
Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God.
Four representatives of the American people.
I will end my visit to your country in Philadelphia, where I will take part in the World Meeting of Families.  It is my wish that throughout my visit the family should be a recurrent theme.  How essential the family has been to the building of this country!  And how worthy it remains of our support and encouragement!  Yet I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without.  Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family.  I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life.
In particular, I would like to call attention to those family members who are the most vulnerable, the young.  For many of them, a future filled with countless possibilities beckons, yet so many others seem disoriented and aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair.  Their problems are our problems.  We cannot avoid them.  We need to face them together, to talk about them and to seek effective solutions rather than getting bogged down in discussions.  At the risk of oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture which pressures young people not to start a family, because they lack possibilities for the future.  Yet this same culture presents others with so many options that they too are dissuaded from starting a family.
A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to “dream” of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.
In these remarks I have sought to present some of the richness of your cultural heritage, of the spirit of the American people.  It is my desire that this spirit continue to develop and grow, so that as many young people as possible can inherit and dwell in a land which has inspired so many people to dream. 

                God bless America!

Friday 18 September 2015

LEADERSHIP IS SERVICE, NOT DOMINION

XXV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - James 3:16-4:3
In his letter, St. James warns us about the danger of jealousy and ambition; they lead to all kinds of infighting, of oppression, violence and war. It has been so since the beginning. I want to be first, so I envy all those that have superseded me. Cain murdered his brother, just because he got convinced that God had favoured Abel and ignored his offering (Gn 4); and Lamech boasted about his violence, which he presented as an affirmation of his power over anybody who dared to challenge him (Gn 4:23-24).
Since the beginning, the weak are thrown out of the way and trampled upon by the powerful, be it individuals, groups or nations. History does not remember the weak and those who were defeated. And the victorious puts forward his victory as a sign of righteousness. 
In war, all commit the same crimes, but only the ones who are caught, because defeated, are sentenced as criminals of war. In the second world war, the allies obliterated some towns in Germany, but they were never subject to trial as having committed crimes against humanity. The Americans killed thousands of civilians with two atomic bombs in Japan, but they never apologised and never were taken to court for crimes against humanity. 
Throughout history, the same attitude has dominated: the ones who are crushed got what they deserved; only the winners are praised, honoured and remembered. Humanity has been built on jealousy and ambition. Human society puts forward competition as being of supreme value. We promote competition at all levels, not only in sports, but also in school, at work and in politics. One must excel, reach the top or be thrown to dust and forgotten. In economy, we must have constant growth with increased profits. The ones who remain behind are forgotten or seen as useless. Even though many cannot cope with this competition, we demand more and more. 
It is not surprising that there are so many wars, and that peace doesn’t last long. St. James explains:
“Where do these wars and battles between yourselves first start? Isn’t it precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you haven’t got it; so you are prepared to kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by force.” (James)

The Apostles were like everybody else; they had ambition and they were jealous. Within their group, there was a hidden struggle, fighting for the first positions, in order to have influence and power. And they would argue and quarrel about that. John and his brother James sent their mother behind the others’ back, in an attempt to corrupt Jesus and get the first places in Jesus’ kingdom. However, Jesus proposed a completely different attitude, and he was very clear on that, telling his disciples:
“If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” (Mk 9:35).

Then he proposed a child as the example of what they should be: totally dependent on God’s love and mercy and on others’ companionship. We are called to serve, not to dominate.

Friday 11 September 2015

ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH OR BY DEEDS?

XXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - James 2:14-18
by their fruits
The Reformation put forward a dichotomy between faith and deeds, proclaiming that we are saved by faith alone (sola fide), making it clear that works (deeds) cannot save us. This blunt affirmation comes from a misunderstanding of St. Paul and from a misunderstanding of faith, as if faith consisted only in saying “I believe”. The proclamation by mouth is essential, but true faith implies attitudes and actions that show the truthfulness of that faith. Faith implies that the whole person turns to God and leans upon him, sure that only in him can be found life and salvation. Faith implies the recognition of our sinfulness, which goes together with a total acceptance of his merciful love. This faith gives a new orientation to life and demands conversion, in which we become Jesus’ disciples and walk on his footsteps. Faith leads us to a daily effort to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Saved by faith alone simply means that we cannot save ourselves, no matter how good we are. Salvation is a gift from God, who in his love adopts us as his children. To the Ephesians, Paul wrote: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ep 2:8-9). We cannot boast, and we cannot put a claim on God, but our life, being touched by God, is changed, and that change appears in our daily behaviour; if it does not, then our faith is no more than a lie, and we are cheating ourselves.
St. James puts it very clear that there is no true faith without the deeds that manifest the presence of that faith:
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?” “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”
“But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.”
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”. (James 2:14, 17-18, 24).
"Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit"
(Jn 15:2)
Jesus told his followers that we can know the true prophets by their fruits (Mt 7:20). And we must realise that James warning comes in line with Jesus’ warning, when he said: 
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” (Mt 7:21-23).
For many Christians, faith is a question of words and of empty traditions, with very little impact on their own lives and much less on the society which they live in. We are no more the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Being so, we have become useless, and God will throw us away.

All of us are in need of renewed commitment to walk with Jesus Christ and give witness to him. May the Spirit guide us and strengthen us to be true disciples of Jesus, and so having a transforming impact on the world.

Wednesday 9 September 2015

OUR LADY OF REMEDIES ( a Senhora dos Remédios)

CELEBRATING GOD’S LOVE AND TENDERNESS
Yesterday, 8 of September, we celebrated the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus. In Lamego, my home Diocese, this feast is celebrated and dedicated to Our Lady of Remedies. The whole region goes up the stairs and flocks to the shrine on the top of the hill, rejoicing with Mary and recognising with her God’s love and tenderness. 
As a child, with my sisters and my parents, year after year, we went to the same shrine, joining the crowds in feast. My father liked to go in the evening to see the fireworks. With my sisters, we went once to see the procession, very famous in this region of Beira Douro. This year, passing a few days with my classmate Fr. Adriano, I had the privilege of participating in the Eucharistic celebration, presided by the Bishop, and in the afternoon, I made the experience of the procession, with the representation of biblical scenes, ending with the image of our Lady of Remedies, carried on a four wheel oxen cart. A good number of people made nearly three hours walk, a walk of faith with Mary. We must remember that the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God, is highly respected in Portugal and in times of trouble many people run to her, looking for assistance, deliverance and peace, and that’s why they address her as Our Lady of Remedies. She is a powerful intercessor and a great witness of God’s love and tenderness.
In the morning, as I opened my Facebook page, someone had posted with repulse a clip showing a muslim holding an image of our Lady, which he threw to the ground, breaking it to pieces. It was so shocking, and so unthinkable in this twenty first century. The radical and fundamentalist muslims are turning the clock back to barbarian times, mainly to the way of the Vandals, killing and destroying everything that is a cultural manifestation. They forget that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the only woman talked about in the Quran, with the Sura 19 dedicated to her.
Mary leads us to Jesus Christ and in him we discover God’s love and tenderness. In his homily, the Bishop stressed this central message of the Gospel, and he quoted a passage from Dostoyevsky, in his book The Brothers Karamazov, where in the lips of Father Zossima, he speaks of love and loving humility, which has the power to transform the world.
LOVE ALL GOD’S CREATION
“Brothers, have no fear of men's sin. Love a man even in his sin, for that is the semblance of Divine Love and is the highest love on earth. Love all God's creation, the whole and every grain of sand in it. Love every leaf, every ray of God's light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love. Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble it, don't harass them, don't deprive them of their happiness, don't work against God's intent. Man, do not pride yourself on superiority to the animals; they are without sin, and you, with your greatness, defile the earth by your appearance on it, and leave the traces of your foulness after you—alas, it is true of almost every one of us! Love children especially, for they too are sinless like the angels; they live to soften and purify our hearts and as it were to guide us. Woe to him who offends a child! Father Anfim taught me to love children. The kind, silent man used often on our wanderings to spend the farthings given us on sweets and cakes for the children. He could not pass by a child without emotion. That's the nature of the man.

At some thoughts one stands perplexed, especially at the sight of men's sin, and wonders whether one should use force or humble love. Always decide to use humble love. If you resolve on that once for all, you may subdue the whole world. Loving humility is marvellously strong, the strongest of all things, and there is nothing else like it.”

Friday 4 September 2015

DO NOT DISCRIMINATE!

XXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - James 2:1-5
“Courage! Do not be afraid (Is 35:4)
This same message is repeated time and again throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. God reassures us. He is always by our side. And we need to hear this reassuring voice of God mainly in moments of despair, when we lose all hope and feel helpless. When we are surrounded by darkness, Jesus touches our eyes and orders: “Be  opened” (Mk 7:34), so that we may see his light and find peace.
The times we live in are troubled times, with heavy clouds that do not allow us to see what is coming. Violence seems to be on the increase everywhere, with people trying to solve their grievances by recurring to the use of arms. On the daily news, we see people coming by their thousands, walking all roads, crossing the waters and jumping over the fences, fighting for survival or simply for a better life. There are true refugees, running away from conflict and war, and there are others running from poverty and dreaming with an eldorado that does not exist.
And Europe feels threatened by the new comers: they may take away our jobs, and deprive us of our wellbeing. This fear leads to the rejection of this multitude of refugees. Several countries have closed the borders, put up fences and locked them out. Some do not allow them to cross their territories and leave them in open spaces without food or water. Europe is becoming a fortress, forgetting that not so many years ago their parents had to run away from war, relying on others goodwill until they could enjoy peace again.
We may apply to Europe’s situation the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Lk 16:19). We the rich enjoy  our peace and guard our wellbeing, while closing our doors and locking out the poor Lazarus who challenges our attitudes.

This picture of the little child washed up on the beach demonstrates the drama of thousands of people running away from war, suffering and death to find rejection and death at the doors of the rich neighbour.
St. James, in his letter, makes it very clear that God takes the side of the poor:
Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him (James 2:5)
We cannot discriminate against the poor and we cannot turn away from them, ignoring their suffering, instead of showing solidarity.
Certainly so big an influx of refugees may change the social and cultural tissue of Europe. But the crisis will not end until its causes are dealt with. And Europe is doing nothing to end the conflict causing this wave of refugees. Crimes against humanity are being committed and nothing is done to stop them. 
We need Jesus to open our eyes so that we may see his face in the faces of the refugees. 
May the message of Isaiah’s give us comfort and motivate our will, leading us into action:
Say to all faint hearts,
‘Courage! Do not be afraid.
Look, your God is coming,
vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God;
he is coming to save you.’
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy. (Is 35:4-6)