Shining Within Us

Lord Jesus, your light is shining within us,
Let not my doubts and darkness speak to me.
Lord Jesus, your light is shining within in us.
Let my heart always welcome your love.

I have accidentally omitted this beautiful song in my recent article on the Taize prayer service which was held in our parish.  With a slow and gentle tempo, this song allows us anyone who sings it to meditate, to let one's heart speak to the Lord.

 

Lord Jesus, your light is shining within us,
Let not my doubts and darkness speak to me.
Lord Jesus, your light is shining within in us.
Let my heart always welcome your love.

I think of this song as I recall that horrible mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. In an interview, the father of the gunman had one question to his son: Why? Indeed, most if not all of us affected by this incident would echo the same question. Is it pure hatred on the LGBT (Lesbian, gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community? If it is, would killing 49 people and wounding another 50 be justifiable?

 

Lord Jesus, your light is shining within us,
Let not my doubts and darkness speak to me.
Lord Jesus, your light is shining within in us.
Let my heart always welcome your love.

My thoughts too go to that bishop in Shanghai, China, Thaddeus Ma Daqin who recently made an about face when he publicly recanted his decision to bolt the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). CCPA is sanctioned by the state to control the life of the Catholic Church in China since the 1950s. Control includes ordaining their own bishops without the blessing from Vatican. When Daqin was ordained, he publicly dissociated himself with CCPA. Put under house arrest, he did not give into pressure to recant and served as a model to Catholics who secretly maintained their loyalty to Rome. Until last June 12. What made him change his mind?

 

Lord Jesus, your light is shining within us,
Let not my doubts and darkness speak to me.
Lord Jesus, your light is shining within in us.
Let my heart always welcome your love.

While my heart has high hopes for the President-elect in my land of birth, I felt uneasy with how he has already alienated a host of people: the UN, the Catholic Church (albeit I would imagine that his ire is more focused on the leaders of the Church), the Martial Law victims, women, the media, and the Vice President-elect (I could understand why he is not going to appoint her to his Cabinet, but having a separate inauguration is beyond me!). He seems hell-bent to have the former dictator buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.  Why? To console the Marcoses at the expense of the many who suffered under the dictatorship? Elections are political exercises. They divide people. Some are in this camp, while another is on that camp, etc. But now that they're over, shouldn't Duterte, as paterfamilias, reach out to everyone (regardless if they voted for him or not) instead of catering only to the needs of his friends and others close to him?

 

Lord Jesus, your light is shining within us,Let not my doubts and darkness speak to me.
Lord Jesus, your light is shining within in us.
Let my heart always welcome your love.

In these moments of darkness and doubt, in these times when we would often ask "Why?", let us take courage in Jesus' light "shining within us". Let us also pray that this same light will shine on the victims of the Orlando shooting, on Omar Mateen (RIP) and others who have wrong views on other people, on Thaddeus Ma Daqin, on our fellow Catholics in China who keep the faith alive, on President-elect Duterte, and on our country.  And because it's Father's Day this Sunday, let us also remember all fathers in our prayer.  May we all be guided by this light to work for what is true and just.

 

More Pressing Issue

I read with interest an article published in March 2010 issue of the Far East (a magazine of the Columban Missionaries I subscribe to) entitled “What Would You Do?” which featured Chinese Christians’ creativity given the political and religious challenges experienced in their country. Let me mention three out of eight various cases featured.

One example was about a young Catholic mother who was pregnant for the second time. Because China implements ‘one child policy’, the mother is faced with three options: abortion, bribing a sterile woman to say that she is the baby’s mother, or move to Hong Kong. She opted for the last one. The child’s future is secured by having a Hong Kong identity card.

“Not much of a difficulty”, you might say. Well, here’s another one.

There was a young priest serving a community of ‘unofficial’ Catholics (Chinese government has broken ties with the Vatican which resulted in the division of the local Church. ‘Official’ Catholics are those sanctioned by the government and do not recognize the Pope’s authority. ‘Unofficial’ Catholics remain loyal to Rome and have therefore gone underground.). He got a scholarship to study in a neighboring country, but still requires a passport. To obtain one, he has to answer various questions including his profession. If he says he is a priest he will not be allowed to leave. If he states a different job he needs to prove it. He decided to bribe the officials. Catholics refused to lend him as this would mean condoning corruption. However he managed to find the money. He thinks that he has a valid reason for doing this as his aim was “…to better serve the Church”.

“A priest, bribing? That’s impossible! That’s against our faith!” you would complain. Alright, read on.

A bishop was asked by his visitors from Western countries if he will give cash donations to the victims of an earthquake that rocked a province in 2008. He said no, but added that he gave a huge amount of money to the officials. His explanation: “Because one does not the right to short-circuit the authorities in charge!” He added that if he didn’t give money to these officials (whom he accepted to be corrupt), the development of his diocese (e.g. planning permissions) would be doomed. He concedes that “one gives and gives.”

I’m hearing you shouting: “Now you’re talking about a bishop resigned to the existence of evil instead of fighting against it!”

The writer of the article cautions readers not to be easily led into criticizing our Chinese brothers and sisters in the faith. “For many Catholics in China the only way to survive is to be resourceful.”

As we celebrate the Solemnity of St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, let us keep in our prayers the Church in China that its members would continue to keep that faith alive. Let us also take this occasion as an opportunity to thank the Lord for the gift of faith and for the privilege of professing it without any fear whatsoever. Let this feast also be a time for us all to work together for the Church. Indeed, the problems besetting Catholics in China is one issue that the Church, especially the hierarchy has to deal with. A pressing issue that needs more attention than this new English translation of the Roman Missal!