PART II

 

 

 

13. THE CROSS AND THE REVOLUTION THROUGH LOVE

 

"A furnace of charity – there is none greater.”   (St. Paul of the Cross, CP)

 

 

We are all aware of the impact Mahatma Gandhi made, in bringing about Independence to India from British rule in 1947, and how others applied his Hindu concept of  "ahimsa" (no violence to life), in other conflicting social situations. Based on this principle, the group of "Bishops of the Third World" was created under the leadership of the renowned Brazilian bishop Hélder Câmara. Martin Luther King Junior also took on this attitude, making a substantial impact his country’s history of the United States of America. Individual people and groups of people have had to deal with confronting social evil, since the beginning of humanity. This is also true of other people like the late senator John Lewis in the U.S.A.

 

Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord asked Cain, Where is your brother Abel? He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" God then said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!” (Genesis 4: 8-10).

 

How often though, has oppressive, unjust and violent evil ways, been met with rebellion, often armed. But Christ tells us, that those who respond to violence by the ‘sword’ will perish by the 'sword'. Gandhi, a Hindu, did not become a Christian, because he found that the Old Testament was too violent for him. He approached the British in India by standing up, to face injustice with a non-violent approach: love for the enemy. Confronting the enemy with love is far more effective and transformative, unlike a violent response. He also says that we Christians are like stones in a river of love. The Love of Christ has been flowing like a river for 2,000 years, and Christians have not allowed it to penetrate their hardened hearts. Certainly, this is true for many Christians. Others have allowed the Love of Christ to totally transform their lives, while others are somewhere in between.

 

But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.

(Matthew 5:39).

 

In truth, we humans should realize that it is the Evil Spirit that manipulates, divides us, stimulates us to hate each other, rise up against each other, even to the point of death, etc. We can all be converted, and embrace the Salvific lifestyle. This is highlighted by St Paul.

 

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6: 10-17)

 

I'm not invoking that we have a "pacifist" approach to life. This is an active, courageous attitude toward evil, as Jesus himself teaches us during his Passion when he confronts evil in a non-violent way:

 

The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his doctrine.  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue or in the temple area where all the Jews gather, and in secret I have said nothing.  Why ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said."  When he had said this, one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said, "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?" (John 18: 19-23)

 

Serious problems between people and nations can be resolved through mature dialogue. It requires patience, humility and respect of the other, among other things. In this sense, Pope Francis often speaks to us of the need to build a "Culture of Encounter". In his pastoral visit to Paraguay, before civil leaders, he laid down a procedure for this to take place. The following is my summary of the guidelines in the speech he gave:

 

A culture of encounter takes place through authentic dialogue:

-it seeks the common good in a spirit of fraternity.

-it is built on a fundamental identity that exists: e.g., Catholic, Evangelical, etc.

-it starts from our differences. That diversity is not only good, it is necessary.

-it is not a rehearsal, nor is it theatrical, nor is it a negotiation.

-it does not consider one party of the dialogue superior to the other.

-it never presumes that the other person is wrong.

-it listens to others, is open to change and is willing to be enriched.

-it is willing to admit one’s mistakes and to see the contribution one can offer.

-it can be difficult and challenging, but conflict must be met head on and not avoided

-it has the intention of achieving unity (not uniformity) in diversity.

-it bears in mind that closing in on one’s own way will only leads to death.

-it considers it progress when there is agreement on something, while leaving the rest to another time.

-it puts into action what one has agreed on with each other

                                  (Summary of the Address of Pope Francis-11 July 2015)

 

Example: The Beagle Islands

 

So often, differences between people and nations resort to violence and war. History is full of examples of this. Often countries, for instance, go to war over territorial disagreements on ownership. As I write this reflection, think of the situation in Kashmir between India and Pakistan, the endless conflicts in the Middle East, between the Israelis and Palestinians, or the conflicts inside Syria and between Turkey and the Kurds, etc.

 

Over many years, there was dispute between Argentina and Chile, over the three Beagle Islands at the south of both countries. During the military dictatorships under General Videla in Argentina and General Pinochet in Chile, war was just about to break out between both countries, until I was told at the time in Argentina, that Videla phoned Pope John Paul II to mediate; a risk to take, no doubt, between two predominantly Catholic countries. The pope accepted, and over a period of basically four years, the conflict was solved peacefully. This is proof, and a good example of how conflicts can be solved peacefully, through mature dialogue.

 

The first phase was the shortest and most critical period of the entire mediation and began with Samorè's arrival in Buenos Aires on 25 December 1978. This was purely a crisis intervention to prevent a war and secure an agreement to submit the matter to mediation. In a shuttle diplomacy, Samorè flew between Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires until the objectives were achieved with the signing of the Act of Montevideo on 8 January 1979.

The second period ran from May 1979, when the Chilean and Argentine delegations arrived in Rome, through December 1980, when the Pope presented the parties with his proposal for settling the dispute. This first proposal was rejected by Argentina.

The third and longest phase, running from the beginning of 1981 until December 1983, after Argentina's return to democracy, was characterized by long periods of stalled negotiations...

The final phase began when Raúl Alfonsín assumed the presidency in Buenos Aires at the end of 1983 and ended with the signing of the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship. (Wikipedia-Papal mediation in the Beagle conflict)

 

 

 

14. THE CROSS AND THE LOVING GAZE OF JESUS

 

INDEX

 

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