Scandal of Christian disunity
ASTORY is told about a Catholic who believed that the only ones who enter heaven are Catholics. When he died, he was met at the gates of heaven by St. Peter who toured him around.
*** Sure enough, just as he thought, everyone he saw in heaven was Catholic. By and by, the two came to a high wall. Peter, putting his finger to his lips, said: “Shhhh.. .be very quiet! On the other side of the wall are all Protestants.”
*** The story illustrates that God’s will is that everyone who has faith in Him can be saved. No one is excluded from the Kingdom on account of his color, race, nationality or religion.
* * * This week (Jan. 17-24) is “Prayer Week for Christian Unity,” focusing attention on the crying need for unity among Christians at all times.
*** Somebody once quipped in a magazine article: “About 2,000 years ago they asked this Guy what he felt was his most important message. He said: `Love one another as I love you.’ Out of his message evolved some 22,000 distinct religious denominations – and they all hate each other!”
*** At the Last Supper, the Lord prayed to the Father that “all may be one as you are One with me and I with you.”
Pope John Paul II, now a saint, in his apostolic letter called Orientale Lumen (The Light of the East), was aggrieved by the “sin and scandal of disunity of churches.” “The sin of our separation is very serious…How can we be fully credible if we stand divided?” he lamented.
*** HOSTILE CHRISTIANS. There are understandably points of disagreement among Christians. Nonetheless, we have to learn how to disagree but still love one another and RESPECT each other’s beliefs and practices.
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How do you foster ecumenism with such Christians who’re aggressive and hostile against fellow Christians?
We can present our doctrines calmly, if only to set the record straight, but we must avoid unnecessary debates and arguments which tend to provoke, divide, and stir animosities. If other Christians choose to be nasty and abusive, let’s not follow their approach.
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Here are some concrete guidelines from the Decree on Ecumenism of Vatican II aimed at fostering Christian unity:
• Eliminate words, judgments, and actions that do not reflect the truth about separated brethren, like calling them devils.
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• Conduct dialogue in all honesty.
• Cooperate with one another in projects for the common good, like working for clean, honest elections; fighting against social injustices, graft, and corruption; fostering solidarity in uplifting the plight of the poor; fighting against environmental pollution;
• Pray for Christian unity.
*** THE LIGHTER SIDE. There are two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” and there are those who say, “Good Lord, it’s morning.”
*** Maid’s Prayer. “Dear Lord, I’m not praying for myself but for my parents. Please give them a son-inlaw. Amen.”
*** SICK INDIGENTS. There are poor people who need help because they’re so weak that they cannot work. This is the case of Dante Cabansag suffering from renal failure, R. Cayunda, M. Maranga, Jacky Lopez sick with pulmonary ailments.
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May I appeal to readers to have a heart and help our sick indigents. For inquiries, e-mail me at: belsvd@ gmail.com.