|
September 20th & 27th
The Greatest Miracle
(Fr. Shay's columns are published in The Manila Times, in
publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and on-line.) http://
www.preda.org/main/archives/2011/r11090701.html
Perhaps the most inspiring Gospel story for all of us who are trying
to be true, practicing Christians is the one where Jesus of Nazareth
instructs his disciples to feed the hungry. As the story is told, we
see Him in the remote countryside teaching the people. His
revolutionary message of peace, love, generosity and self sacrifice
is shocking some and inspiring others.
He told them that life could be different, that change is possible,
that we have free choice to shape our own destiny and find and unite
with the power of “eternal love and goodness” .We can work and
succeed in the spiritual and social transformation of society.
He taught them and us that all of us are made in the image and
likeness of “Eternal Goodness” and that goodness can be found in each
other. All people, he said, have a right to a life of equality, of
rights and dignity.
In that tree-sheltered grassy olive grove, thousands had gathered;
men and women, rich and poor, upper, middle, and lower class, the
sick, the blind, the disabled. There too were the outcasts, the
untouchables; they stood to the side ashamed and afraid to come close
to the crowd being scorned, unwanted and abused, and diseased people.
To these downtrodden people without a possession in the world reduced
to begging for daily subsistence, Jesus of Nazareth came, and for
them, he risked himself with words of welcome and inclusion that
shook them to their core.
”Hey! You people over there behind the tree, come here, don’t be
ashamed, there is nothing to be ashamed of. All that is said about
you is not true. Know that God cares for you and sent me to change
things around and to tell you the truth. Blessed are you poor, the
Kingdom of God is for you....happy are you who are so hungry now, you
will be filled and all of you who are crying, you will be happy, and
will laugh. Even when people hate you, reject you and insult you
because I am standing with you, then dance with joy - a great reward
will be yours.”
The huddled beggars and outcasts turned to each other in their filthy
rags and dirt, there being no one else to turn to, and asked, “how
could it be true when we are so poor and miserable without happiness
and enduring the world’s hatred and rejection and he is telling us
that we are blessed and the Kingdom of God is for us. We know and can
see it is for the rich and the privileged and the well-fed priests.
We cannot believe this Jesus from Nazareth, we are truly nothing and
will remain nothing, there will be no change for us.” But there was.
He waved and called to his disciples, ”bring them over here and the
children also, don’t stop them, unless we are as innocent as them we
can’t approach God.” Some of the rich ruling elites, those from the
priestly hierarchy who had given themselves the position of privilege
close to the teacher were shocked, disgusted and humiliated, they
gathered up their robes and scuttled away from the approaching
shuffling group of beggars and diseased people that took the front
row beaming with pride. They had become number one.
“Teacher, we have to send all away now”, the disciples said.
“Thousands of people are hungry and we have no food”, but Jesus
calmly told them, “You feed them!” They were shocked. “How can we
feed so many when we only have two fish and five loaves and that's
our lunch and we¹re hungry also?”
“Never mind, give out what you have, that will be an example to
others, they might share too.” And so they did, all that had
selfishly hidden their lunch packs in their bags and robes saw what
the disciples did and brought them out and shared with those that had
none. There was enough food for all.
Sharing is what we need more of, especially for the starving children
of Somalia.
September 13th
"... the moral quality of any society is measured not by how it
treats the powerful but how it respects the claims of the
powerless." - Cardinal Joseph Bernardin 1928-1996
Here are a few quotes from theologians meeting on September 7 in
Montreal to ponder the state of the world's religions 10 years after
the attacks which rocked the world on Sept 11, 2001
"We will not achieve understanding through prayers to God or Buddha.
We have to make an effort to talk to each other." Dalai Lama
"Dialogue has to go on within every religion and between believers
and non-believers." Robert Thurman, professor of Buddhist studies at
Columbia University.
"Our world today is telling us to stop dreaming. If we are serious
about peace, we have to speak about justice, corruption, poverty."
Tariq Ramadan, professor of Islamic studies at Oxford University
"Corruption is some new kind of disease on the planet." Dalai Lama
"Love without action is meaningless." Deepak Chopra
Gregory Baum expressed concern over the absence of women's voices in
the debate and in the highest reaches of religious life.
September 6th
Imagine all the people, Sharing all the world, You may say I'm a
dreamer, But I'm not the only one, I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one. - John Lennon
Five years ago I went to Nicaragua for a Witness for Peace Election
Observation delegation. Daniel Ortega's Sandinista rally song used
Lennon's melody and we heard the music all over the place. I'm sure
even the opposition found itself humming the tune! On the day of the
election, no party identification could be used in or around the
polling stations. I was wondering who was the Sandanista among the 6
party observers crowded around the small polling desk. They had very
amiably divided the observation tasks and huddled together to decide
by consensus whenever a problem came up. The polls closed for a
bathroom break as we headed to the last half hour since no one could
leave once the counting started. One pary observer stayed back to
make sure nothing happened. He proceeded to sing John Lennon's in its
entirety in English! I'm not sure the Sandinista party lived up to
John Lennon's vision but this Labour Day, it is my wish, my song!
|