What is our understanding and attitude towards other religions and other Christian communities today? In the past our meaningful interactions and dialogues with them had been extremely rare and even discouraged. We Catholics may have viewed them with disdain and even enmity. But today we have a fundamentally changed approach, which became possible through the Spirit-led renewal, preceding and surrounding the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).
One of the Vatican II declarations is Nostra Aetate: “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions… The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons and daughters, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men and women” (NA 2). Indeed, the Catholic Church has been in dialogue with other religions through developing friendships, deeper understanding of each other, and collaboration in important social issues.
This is consistent with the teaching of Jesus in today’s gospel: “Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). Pope John XXIII who opened the Second Vatican Council also opened the door of the Church to the whole world, basically telling us that the Church is not above the world or outside the world, but in the world, for the salvation of the world. His successor Pope Paul VI encouraged us to engage in dialogue among ourselves within the Catholic Church, with other Christians, with other religions, and with the world, including various academic and scientific disciplines even atheism (Ecclesiam suam 1964). The succeeding Popes have been leading the Church and the world with this confident vision of the Church’s mission as the light to the nations.
We live in a world in which people often live with suspicion, distrust, and even an open hostility. Many countries advocate their own interests above the common good, while a quarrelsome contention is everywhere.
Jesus intended to correct this divisive tendency and create a new humanity. Vatican II’s Constitution on the Church posits the Church as a sign and instrument of unity and reconciliation (Lumen Gentium 1). But this mission has been marred by the disunity among the followers of Christ. That is why the need for Church’s reform is constant – ecclesia semper reformanda.
The Church is the icon of the Trinity on earth. Endowed with this divine origin, she has a mission to reconcile and unite the broken humanity. While unity is of her essence, “this one Church has been marked by a great diversity which comes from both the variety of God's gifts and the diversity of those who receive them. Within the unity of the People of God, a multiplicity of peoples and cultures is gathered together” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 814). Hence, we promote unity not uniformity, we celebrate diversity not disunity. Splendid unity in rich diversity is what the Church cherishes and advocates.
“Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes. Where there is virtue, however, there also are harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and one soul of all believers” (CCC 817).
Amid cacophony of the divided world, we are called to be the ambassadors of Christ, agents of unity and reconciliation. May the Holy Spirit, the bond of love and source of unity, clear our vision and strengthen our resolve to fulfill this mission!
Fr. Paul D. Lee