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Tolerance: Respect and Reconciliation - Mimi Def

Christ has risen. He is living. Hallelujah!

On Easter morning millions of Christians around the world have exclaimed this "joyous Good News". Since the moment when men and women in Palestina had seen their hopes vanish, the empty tomb brought them new hope: "...and now he is going to Galilea ahead of you" (Mt 28,7).

Today, how many hopes have been dashed by reading the newspaper, listening to the radio or watching TV. The ignored "cease fires" in Bosnia are uncountable. A massacre in a refugee camp in Ruanda rekindles the conflict, and a gas attack in the Metro of Tokyo or the carbomb in Oklahoma City make us tremble. Ethnic and religious conflicts where intolerance generates death. Where is hope? In order to keep peace at all costs is it necessary to do nothing? On French TV an Algerian woman implored us not to confuse tolerance with blindness before the totalitarian danger of Islamic fundamentalism, and I might add, before any fanaticism.

We Secular Franciscans draw from the Gospel, as Francis did, to decide our behaviour, basically from the following two texts:

Mark 16,15.16: "He said to them: Go throughout the whole world and preach the Gospel to all mankind. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned". How many massacres we know of, performed in the name of politics and economics, have been interwoven with religion.

A recent survey showed that 36,5% of the people questioned believe that religious tension is at the root of the wars of our time. Therefore, should we renounce evangelising? What does this word mean to us today? What is our relationship with others, believers and not? Remember, Francis also lived in turbulent times. The Church had led the crusades for over two centuries. He too wanted to participate in the fight of the Church, but in a completely different way. It would be of great interest to reread the meeting that Francis had with the Sultan.

Let us repeat again what is found in Francis' writings in Chapter 12 of the First Rule: "Of those who wish to go among the Saracens and other unbelievers". For Francis, the friars should consider their spiritual role in two ways: - or be subject to all human beings because of God and simply confess that one is a Christian, - or, if it is God's will, to proclaim the word of God so that pagans believe and are baptised.

From this are derived the two fundamental attitudes in our relationship with those who do not share our faith that expresses two convictions stated by Mons. Dagen: - yes, to respect in all circumstances - yes, to pardon and reconciliation.

Reconciliation was the Lenten theme put into practice by our brothers in Ruanda. Respect was the sentiment that united Christians, Jews and Moslems to commemorate the victims of Oklahoma.

What better conclusion than this prayer to Mary: Oh Mary, Mother of God, Mother of the Church, thanks to you, on the morning of the Annunciation all of mankind with its culture rejoiced in knowing itself capable of being Gospel. In this eve of the new Pentecost for the Churches of Africa, Madagascar and of the Islands, together with the peoples that are entrusted to us in communion with the Holy Father, we are united with You so that the spread of the Holy Spirit makes our cultures places of communion within its differences, and in us a Church, God's family, Fraternity of the Son, image of the Trinity, forerunner and collaborator together with everyone in God's Kingdom, in the city built by God: City of Justice and Peace! Amen

Questions for your reflection:
In my family, in my neighbourhood, at work...
- have I had the occasion to meet other believers or non-believers?
- did I have or did I favour a dialogue with them?
- did this influence my way of thinking? my convictions?
- was I able to speak about this in the fraternity?
- if yes, in what way?
- if no, why?
- ecumenism: a word, a question, a reality?