Salvation Outside the Church (in Jesus Christ)

Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12

The story in today’s gospel about the story of the wise men (or the three Kings from the Orient) is found only in Matthew. Luke, Mark and John never mention about this story in their gospels. And so the question arises: What does it mean? What is Matthew trying to tell us? Surely, there is a wonderful truth that Matthew took all the troubles to preserve the story in his gospel. The second reading today gives us the answer-- it's a revelation of a mystery; that pagans now share the same inheritance as the Jews. The pagans too are part of the same body of Christ.

The three Kings are the Gentiles, the non-Jews, like you and I. They are representing the "pagans". In other words, Jesus Christ is born for all peoples. He came not only for the chosen race but the human race. He manifests not only for the Jews but for all of us. This is the truth that was proclaimed long before the Saviour born (as the first reading clearly has pointed out.) Unfortunately, this message doesn’t seem to have been understood by many people--not only by those in the Old Testament and in the New Testament but also by many people of today.

Now, you listen to this story... Few years ago one of my friends was diagnosed of having cancer. She was a Sabahan but working in Kuching, Sarawak. To make thing worse, her father was paralyzed and so her mother had to look after her father. She had 2 sisters and 1 brother but all of them were working in Peninsula Malaysia. And so, she was all by herself in Kuching General Hospital.

One of the nurses, apparently was observing her and realized her situation. So the nurse voluntarily had looked after her. She called all the members of her family so that they could take turn looking after her literally almost every single minute. Her sisters came, her mother and even her husband and children came to give necessary aids to this friend of mine. This wonderful nurse (and this i want you to pay attention) nevertheless was and is still now a Muslim.

My question, therefore, is; where do you think this Muslim nurse will go when she die? Do you think God will spare for her a room in the eternal kingdom? What about other non-Christians who have done good things in their life, say for instance Mahatma Ghandi? Where do you think he is now?

The Second Vatican Council states in a document called Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the relationship of the church to non-Christian religions, that the Church rejects nothing of the truth and holiness found in the other religions; the church considers with respect even those doctrines of theirs which differ from the Church teaching but often contain a ray of eternal TRUTH. And so Christians must oppose every form of discrimination among men, based on status, race or creed. In that sense, the Church acknowledges that there is salvation outside the Church.

Many Christians probably would find it hard to accept. But we must look at it from the point of view of our Lord Jesus Christ, the absolute truth and the fullness of revelation. Remember that he is born for all people, for all human races. And on top of it, no one should underestimate his mercy, his compassion, his mission for all.

And so as we celebrate the feast of Epiphany, the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ, let’s be open to all forms of dialog with other religions. Let’s not be so cynical and skeptical towards people of others beliefs. The Muslim nurse in my story just now has allowed herself to manifest God’s love to my suffering friend regardless of beliefs and racial differences. It’s a total and unselfish offering of oneself. Let’s learn from her. Let’s reflect the epiphany in our deeds, in our thoughts, in our words and make tomorrow a better world for everyone.

They too are our brothers and sisters..

Gen 2:18-24; Heb 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16

I must admit that the Word of God today is one of the most difficult to preach. It speaks about what God intended from the very beginning of time as the ideal marriage relationship—two people should become one flesh; what God has joined let no man separate; whoever divorces and remarries commit adultery.

I said it is difficult to preach. Why? Because one of my own sisters is divorced, one of my aunties is a second wife to a married man, many of my close friends are either divorcees or married to divorcees. And, on top of that, some of you here are divorcees. But having said that, as a priest it is my duty to preach according to the teaching of the Church, which I, without reservation, accept and believe.

The Catholic Church teaches that a marriage should be marked by unity—it is a total sharing of body, mind and spirit of a husband and a wife. The Catholic Church also teaches that a marriage should be a permanent relationship—meaning, only death do them part. That is an ideal marriage, which is also the original plan of God.

But we don’t live in an ideal world. We live in a real world where too often selfishness overpowers love, taking dominates giving, and some marriages end in divorce. What have the Church to say about it?

To answer this, recall how Jesus condemn adultery, but forgave the woman caught in adultery; how he showed compassion toward the Samaritan woman at the well who had lived with five husbands; and how he gave Peter a new start after Peter had denied him and runaway.

Do we continue to strive for ideal marriages? Yes, with all our resources. Do we condemn divorced people whose marriage fell short of the ideal? No, we condemn divorce but not the divorcee.

The letter to the Hebrews, in the second reading, tells us that Jesus took our human nature, and thus we are of the same human stock as he, and so he can call us his brothers and sisters. The divorcees too are of the same human stock as you and I. They are our brothers and sisters.

Let’s pray that God will continue to shower His grace to all married couples so that they will always remember the origin and purpose of marriage; so that they always strive for the ideal marriage. But let’s also not forget to pray for all the divorcees, that they will continue to experience God’s forgiveness and love in their lives; and especially, so that they will find a place in the Church.