Monday, January 15, 2018
January 15, 2018 Chapter 20 Join the Adventure!
The first book I read by Brian McLaren was Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road. In that book McLaren talked about how we can be strong in our own faith without demeaning the faith of others. It is so easy today to get so caught up in the "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality that we forget to be good to each other.
I was thinking about that the other day. In a matter of a few minutes I listened to one person I admire and respect talk about why he says Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays. A few minutes later I heard another person I respect say that people should say Happy Holidays and not Merry Christmas. I found myself thinking that I understand the logic of each, but also wondering why this became a "hot button" issue at all.
Perhaps this is what McLaren is hinting at in his writings on page 94--to remind us that God came for all of us, not just Christians, not just Catholics, not only Jews, or Moslems, or Gentiles, or whoever. Pope Frances tries to proclaim this in his ministry; it challenges me to do the same.
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I think it goes back to the tribal thing. If you are not in my tribe you must be the enemy. Until we see all people as beloved sons and daughters of God, we will always divide those we meet into my tribe or not my tribe. And th at includes people in our very own parish who think about Catholicism differently than me. That is harder for me than accepting Muslims or Buddist or any other religion.
ReplyDeleteReconnecting after a hiatus.
ReplyDeleteA few hours ago, I let myself get pulled into an argument about Billy Grahams millions left behind and how the religious people "shouldn't be" rich at the expense of tithing.
I was expressing to others that we don't know where the money came from and that a pastor being rich doesn't necessarily mean they took advantage of people.
I was the only one with that position.
I guess this incident relates to how I understood Jesus position to claim "this prophecy has come true today."
Many times we have to stand alone in conviction to our cause.