The apostle John had to learn his lesson early. He thought he was being faithful to Christ by doing what he was doing. "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Exclusiveness! Extrinsic religion!
What does Jesus say in return? "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us." Inclusiveness! Intrinsic religion!
To find God in anyone and everyone, especially in people who do not belong to our Church or religious denomination. This is the lesson the apostle John had to learn early in his following of the universal Christ. That Christ is for Christians and non-Christians alike. That Christ is one with all who seek and do good in their lives.
This is the Christ who is calling us to wake up. For many of us Catholics, including some of our religious leaders, still tend to think and act in an exclusive way, at times even in a self-righteous manner. As if we are the chosen ones, the elect, the saved. Some of us avoid, ignore, even look down on members of other religions, especially the non-Christians ones. Such was the colonial Christianity that we inherited from the Spanish conquistadores, and stubborn remnants still linger in the minds and hearts of many.
Some of us even feel guilty when we enter the temples or churches of non-Catholics, or when we listen to the teachings of their pastors or gurus. And yet, when everything is said and done, they all lead to the one and the same Creator of us all.
We must humbly accept once and for all that religious prejudice and factionalism have a lot to do with our socio-political life as well.
Take a look at many of our so-called Christian politicians. They are more preoccupied, not with the ways of Christ, but with partisan politics and combative factionalism. Quite a number of them are products of Catholic schools. Exclusiveness and extrinsic religion, would you not say?
What about the rich who go to Sunday Mass and Communion, and for the rest of the week refuse to be concerned with the personal lives of their faithful workers, whose wages are but crumbs from their tables of luxury and extravagance?
"Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter." (From today’s Second Reading, James 5:4-5)
In the name of Christ, let us courageously break through our religious and political biases, and support our President in her efforts to reach out to all, especially the poor and powerless. As President GMA has stated – she is married to our country.
So are we!