As I
begin this, thousands of Hondurans, Guatemalans, El Salvadorians, Mexicans are
continuing their long trek to the US. The public claim is flight from violence,
unemployment, poverty. True as those reasons maybe it is highly unlikely this
is a truly spontaneous event. There is
manipulation of these people in the shadows. This and other harsh realities
call for deep and prayerful concern for the present situation and future of the
human family.
I write
the essay which follows, because of what is so widespread within the human
family: anger, discrimination, individual-mob-state violence. Anxiety and
despair dominate, and of all religions Christianity, more than any other, is
under constant assault: in democratic countries by government and media, in others,
persecution by blood. As I did the final edit, this has proven to be much, much
longer than anticipated so is divided into sections. Also, though not my
custom, while I research before writing, this time, given the urgency of the
topic, I am including references to quotations and recommended book resources I
have used as research.
More
than anything else flowing, from this is: my urgent plea we reflect, ask the
grace needed, so that in our suffering, no matter the cost, we become authentic
witnesses to Christ and with Him become ever more compassionate. Should we fail
to do so we shall all find ourselves overtaken by a global, human, catastrophe
beyond imaging.
Mass
illegal migration is the hundreds of thousands of people pouring into the
countries of western Europe and North America. The established populations of
these countries are understandably overwhelmed, and seeing the free housing,
food, medical care offered these illegal newcomers, feel ever more the weight
of their own strained resources to care for their families.
Left
leaning politicians, intellectuals, tv pundits, - the elites - compound the
stress by poorly articulated reasons why the newcomers should be so generously
accommodated. At the same time these elites, who tend to be high income earners
and thus virtually immune to the stresses on ordinary people, assert those who
object to this lavishness to the illegals as hardhearted rightist populists,
less then true citizens/Christians, translation: less human. This extreme
rhetoric only adds to the mounting confusion, righteous fury, of ordinary
people.
There
are many causes of this global spread of anger, violence, anxiety, despair
within the human family: ever higher taxes, yet infrastructures continue to
crumble, affordable housing is lacking, gang violence is out of control, border
security is virtually non-existent, add on the ever increasing cost of food,
fuel, housing, medical care, schooling, the dearth of stable employment, the
war against faith and family, by the elites and we see anger, frustration,
despair weighing ever more heavily on ordinary citizens.
The
tone deafness by mostly leftist elites is a major factor in the rise of
so-called populism throughout the world.
If, as
priests and bishops, we are to encourage people, in the midst of the extreme
stress of life today, to live out the Gospel, in particular Christ’s call to
active-compassionate-love, [cf. Mt. 25:31-46] then we need to live out this
from the Second Vatican Council: Led by the Spirit of the Lord, who anointed
the Saviour and sent Him to evangelize the poor, priests, therefore, and also
bishops, should avoid everything which in any way could turn the poor away.
Before the other followers of Christ, let priests set aside every appearance of
vanity in their possessions. Let them arrange their homes so that they might
not appear unapproachable to anyone, lest anyone, even the most humble, fear to
visit them. [1]
Within
all the dissension in contemporary social and political life, there is one ray
of hope: the rise of moderate populism [2] which engages people to bring back
right order into the life of our countries.
Again
it must be stated that it is the tone deafness of elites to the real concerns
of real people about all that is happening in the world today which intensifies
the anxiety and discouragement, the anger, so as a human family we no longer
see, speak, hear, reflect, make choices based upon people, that is upon every
human being, for we all are children of God, brothers and sisters, one family
created in His image and likeness.
Increasingly
our seeing, speaking, hearing has become a reflexive response that sets the
mind, the emotions, on autopilot hence: all immigrants are potential terrorists
or violent criminals, all politicians are only concerned about themselves, all
elites utterly disdain the rest of us and seek to impose their agenda on us.
More
important than any writing, my primary priestly mandate, a mandate also for
every baptized person, is to pray for every human being on earth, irrespective
of their race, religion, or no religion, social status, regardless be they
friend or enemy. A mandate given by Jesus: You
have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your
enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute
you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun
rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the
unjust. [Mt.5:43-45]
As Our
Lady tells us at Fatima, applicable still in our day: "I am the Lady of the
Rosary, I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask for
pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is
already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary.
Let them continue saying it every day. Fly from riches and luxury; love poverty
and silence; have charity, even for bad people. "
All
freedom comes from God, for He Himself breathes life into us and endows us with
free will.
Exercise
of freedom means mature, intelligent reflection upon the options, and a clear
understanding of the consequences, and potentially unintended consequences, of
the choices we make. This obligation of mature responsibility in the exercise
of freedom is incumbent upon leaders in the realms of society, politics,
religion, media, economics, the arts, medicine, science etc., as well.
We must
believe, trust, live out the truth as Jesus tells us: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what
can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and
trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain
cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel
basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.” [Mt.5:13-16] It is the call to preach
the Gospel with our lives without compromise.
Pierre
Manet notes something applicable not just to the situation in France, but to
all the situations around the world causing ordinary people to be so angry,
frightened, despairing: The word that
fits the new reality is war. A war
against us has been declared and is happening. [3]
There
is a well of anger people keep going to, drawing out buckets of hatred,
frustration, discouragement and all the social divisions and chaos that flow
therefrom. This is of immense danger, global war danger, for the entire human
family.
As Jean
Vanier expresses it: Among humankind,
the family represents that basic social unit. However, everywhere we look, the
basic place of belonging is breaking down……everywhere more and more people are
frightened of commitment. And why is this happening? I believe it is because
out Western societies have placed the power, rights, and needs of the
individual above those of the group.
[4]
Only a
radical, rooted in Jesus Christ metanoia, that is conversion of our own hearts,
as individuals, societies, religions, will open for us the door of hope, allowing
us to see hope is not a thing desired, but a person encountered who, Himself,
is our hope, because He alone is the way we seek, the truth we need, the love,
the life we hunger for. Opening the door is not that difficult since we already
know He is here: “Behold, I stand at the
door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will enter his
house and dine with him, and he with Me.” [Rev.3:20 & Lk. 24:13-35]
© 2018
Fr. Arthur Joseph
[1] cf.
DECREE ON THE MINISTRY AND LIFE OF PRIESTS, Ch. 111, sec. 2, para 17
[2] cf.
Stephan J. Harper: Right Here Right Now, Politics and Leadership In The Age of
Disruption
[3] cf.
Beyond Radical Secularism: p.33- Pierre Manet
[4]
Becoming Human: p.50- Jean Vanier
