True spirituality is doing everything in God’s love

Any form of religion that is not thoroughly imbued with God’s Spirit of Love is toxic and highly destructive of human lives.

We are all familiar with St Paul’s extolling of love in the 13th chapter of his First Letter to the Corinthians. He writes to a divided Church at Corinth, immersed in scandal and he warns: “If I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all. I may be an eloquent preacher, understanding prophecies and all mysteries, I could even die a martyr’s death — but without love it is of no avail” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

The consequences of loveless religion are catastrophic. We have witnessed it, for example, in the so-called Magdalene Laundries, in Church-run orphanages, reformatories and mothers and babies homes. ‘Religious’ people were entrusted in these institutions with care of the most vulnerable in society — young children and young adults — who needed care, protection and kindness and who, instead, were subjected to atrocious cruelty, neglect and abuse — sexual, physical emotional and psychological. Survivors of these horrors continue to live with deep psychic and spiritual wounds.

It is hard to fathom how those, who had authority in these establishments, who knew the Gospel, could be responsible for such an obscene negation of their true calling and obligations.

The Lord Jesus has told us “by their fruits you shall know them” and that “a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:16- 20). Those who produce “rotten fruit” are far from Christ. They are not on the way that leads to salvation. They may have a form of religiosity but they are devoid of the transformative, heart-changing power, of that true religion which is aflame with the Spirit of the Living God — the Spirit of Love.

True Spirit-filled religious faith in Jesus Christ would radically transform the desolate political landscape of Northern Ireland. The Spirit of Jesus Christ would convert hardened, bigoted, unforgiving, stubborn, self-righteous and resentful hearts. There would be no longer stalemate but political agreement, motivated by a compassionate resolve and desire, to serve the needs of the entire community. Tragically, the words of Jesus can be applied to some of the politicos who are failing and betraying our society: “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall

be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23).

Pope Francis recently said that sin can be forgiven once it is repented of sincerely. Those who are corrupted refuse to see the need for forgiveness because they are blind to the evil that has taken possession of their minds and hearts. Our society is being held to ransom by those who were called and entrusted with responsibility for common good of all.

All Christians, Catholics and Protestants and all people of goodwill, must call them to account and pray that we will be soon delivered from their blindness and darkness.