25th Sunday in Ordinary Time ( C-cycle )
September 23, 2007

For some years, I’ve been putting up signs at Rosh Hashana that say, “Happy New Year to our Jewish friends.” I’ve gotten a lot of calls from Jews thanking me for the signs, one this year from a female rabbi. I haven’t received any anti-Semitic calls, and the signs so far have escaped any defacement.  But once you get into the brotherhood-sisterhood sign business, things may start to get complicated.

 

Last week, a member of our parish came to me and said she had a Muslim friend who asked her why we didn’t put up a sign wishing Muslims a happy Ramadan, the holiest time of their year, which includes a month-long fast and which is in progress now.  This parishioner, who incidentally was raised in the Jewish faith, came not only with a request but also with a sign.  I was delighted, though I must confess my second thought was, “God, do I really need this”?  But knowing that the great majority of Muslims are peace-loving people, just like us, “I told her, sure, put this sign up, too.”

 

The sign has two words: Ramadan Murabak.  I knew Murabak was the name of Egypt’s president, but I didn’t know it was also an expression of good will.  So the sign is saying, ‘Have a happy Ramadan”.  And I, for one, am glad to endorse that sentiment.

 

The words of the second reading from the first letter to Timothy, our patron, seem particularly appropriate in the light of all this: “God, our Savior, wills everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” What God wills gets done.  Salvation is possible for everyone, even of different faiths who follow their consciences and lead good lives.  God did not create billions of people who do not follow Christ or who may never have heard of Him so they may burn forever in hell.

 

But the first letter to Timothy also warns us that there is a limit to broadmindedness:  “There is one God.  There is also one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus Who gave Himself as a ransom for all...  ” I cringe when I hear, even Catholics say something like, “Jesus was a great man, but so was Moses, so was Muhammad, so was Buddha.  They’re all alike.”  We do not show respect for other religions by disrespecting our own.  Jesus is not just a great man.  He is the only begotten Son of God.  He is the Savior of all mankind.  We do not honor Christ by stripping Him of His divinity.

 

True understanding between religions comes when we celebrate our similarities, and honestly admit our differences.  My pastoral associate Pat Piano is all excited over a book which tells about a man in Pakistan building schools in areas where the only education has been in madrassahs, teaching al-queda propaganda.  This man’s schools teach respect for other religions and cultures, a sign of hope which brings us back to our signs:  good wishes for Jews and Muslims on Catholic Church property.  At least on North Main St., they coexist peace peaceably and remind us that in the end, only good will can keep us together, keep us safe.  May our signs help us to dream a little, hope a little, and pray a lot.