CORRUPT HUMAN HEART AND PILATE’S BLOOD-STAINED HANDS

                                          

“Fear of people is a trap, but whoever trusts in the Lord will be kept safe and lifted up.” (Proverbs 29:25)

Pilate’s judgment seat was far more than a political setting within the Roman Empire; it exposed a deep spiritual struggle rooted in the fallen condition of humanity. For those who follow Christ, this moment is not merely a historical encounter between a Roman governor and a Jewish King. It becomes a mirror reflecting the human tendency to resist truth while being captivated by worldly pressures and desires. In that courtroom, the tension between truth and compromise was not only external—it revealed the inner conflict that still exists within every human heart.

The Corrupt Human Heart and Pilate’s Weakness

The Bible makes it clear that after humanity’s fall, the conscience is no longer pure but influenced by sin. Pilate recognized that Jesus was innocent, yet he still chose to hand Him over to be crucified. This decision did not come from ignorance but from weakness. Though he perceived what was right, his desire to maintain authority and avoid conflict outweighed his commitment to justice.

This same struggle continues today. Many believers understand the truth of the Gospel, yet hesitate to live it out boldly in public spaces. The fear of rejection, criticism, or loss of status often silences the voice that should stand for Christ. When human approval becomes more valuable than obedience to God, it reveals how easily the heart can shift its allegiance. In such moments, society begins to take the place that belongs to God alone.

Pilate’s failure was not a lack of knowledge but a lack of courage. His example warns us that knowing the truth is not enough—what matters is whether we are willing to stand by it when it becomes costly.

God’s Sovereignty

During the trial, Pilate spoke with confidence about his authority, suggesting that he held the power to determine Jesus’ fate. Yet Jesus made it clear that all authority ultimately comes from above. This statement reminds us that no human power operates independently of God’s sovereign will.

        Pilate’s fear reveals a deeper problem: he viewed the situation through the lens of human control rather than divine authority. Although he held a position of influence, he was still governed by anxiety over public reaction and political consequences. His perspective was limited, causing him to act in a way that contradicted truth.

Believers today can fall into a similar pattern. When faced with pressure from the world, it becomes easy to forget that God remains in control of every circumstance. Fear grows when trust in God weakens. Choosing silence or compromise in such moments reflects a misplaced confidence in human power rather than in divine sovereignty. Recognizing God as the ultimate authority should produce boldness, not hesitation.

God’s Glory and Our Silence

The purpose of a Christian life is centered on honoring God. However, this calling is often overshadowed by the desire to maintain comfort and reputation. When believers avoid speaking about Christ to protect their image, they shift their focus away from God’s glory toward personal security.

The question then arises: what causes this hesitation? It is not always outright denial, but a subtle preference for acceptance over truth. Yet the life of Christ stands in sharp contrast to such reluctance. He endured humiliation, rejection, and suffering for the sake of humanity. His willingness to bear shame highlights the depth of His love and the seriousness of sin.

        In light of this, silence takes on greater meaning. Avoiding the truth in order to fit in with others suggests that social standing is being valued more highly than the sacrifice of Christ. This is not merely a personal struggle—it carries spiritual implications. To remain quiet when the truth should be spoken is to allow fear to shape one’s faith.

A life that seeks to glorify God cannot be built on selective obedience. It requires a willingness to stand firm, even when doing so invites discomfort or opposition.

The Basin of Washed Hands

One of the most striking actions in Pilate’s story is his attempt to distance himself from responsibility by washing his hands. This symbolic gesture was meant to declare innocence, yet it could not remove the reality of his decision. External actions, no matter how meaningful they appear, cannot cleanse the inner condition of the heart.

This moment speaks powerfully to modern life. It is easy to justify silence or compromise with seemingly reasonable explanations. Many may convince themselves that avoiding conflict is wise, or that private belief is sufficient without public expression. These thoughts can act as a form of self-justification, much like Pilate’s attempt to escape accountability.

However, truth does not allow for neutrality. Choosing not to stand for what is right is, in itself, a decision. When silence leads to the neglect of truth, it indirectly supports falsehood. The idea that one can remain uninvolved in matters of truth is an illusion.

Only God’s grace has the power to transform the heart. It is not outward behavior but inward renewal that brings true change. Ignoring this grace while clinging to fear places a person in a spiritually dangerous position. Pilate’s actions serve as a reminder that responsibility cannot be avoided through symbolic gestures or convenient reasoning.

A Call to Repentance

Despite the seriousness of this reflection, the message of the Gospel is not without hope. Human weakness, though real, is not beyond redemption. The story of the apostle Peter illustrates this truth clearly. In a moment of fear, he denied Christ, yet his failure was not the end. Through grace, he was restored and later became a courageous witness.

This transformation offers encouragement to all believers. Fear, hesitation, and compromise do not have to define one’s spiritual journey. There is always an opportunity to return to God with honesty and humility. Acknowledging weakness is the first step toward receiving the strength that comes from Him.

Faith requires more than internal belief—it calls for a life that reflects trust in God openly. While the world may respond with rejection or ridicule, such responses do not change the reality of God’s presence. The One who overcame death remains with His people, providing the courage needed to stand firm.

Instead of following Pilate’s example of avoidance, believers are called to pursue inner renewal. True cleansing comes through Christ, not through outward gestures or human reasoning. Living faithfully means choosing truth over comfort and conviction over convenience.

In the end, every individual must decide where they stand. There is no middle ground between truth and compromise. The challenge is not simply to recognize what is right, but to live it out with integrity.

May our lives reflect not hesitation, but conviction. May they reveal not fear, but faith. And may the world see, not the weakness of Pilate within us, but the transforming power and glory of Christ.

 

 

THIS VISIBLE WORLD IS NOT THE END…

 

“This visible world is a trace of that invisible one and the former follows the latter like a shadow”, says Al-Ghazali (c.1058 -1111), a polymath Muslim scholar and theologian.[1]  Affirmingly, the lesson we learn from  Mary Magdalene and the Apostles’ encounter with the risen Christ is that “this world is not all that there is”, says Bishop Barron. We know little even about the natural world. Death, known to be the end of our lives, need not be the end either. For, example, a seed dries, dies, but spurts with new life. Similarly with our natural death a “new heavens and a new earth” springs up.  God’s creative process continues to show up something beyond human imagination and understanding.  The impossible happens.

This earthly life is towards a higher growth and maturity,  something more permanent. The daily discoveries of the universe are a proof of this continuous expansion of creation. The least harmonized human understanding of the world is incomparable with the grandeur of the mysterious universe. It makes little sense to explain this creative wonder. The differences between our understanding lies in each one’s different emphasis based on the  appearances. Human being are just pilgrims on this endless journey. Neither history and facts, nor witnesses are going to fathom  the whole story. All will have difficulty in grasping the reality.

Human presumptions prevent us from knowing the truth, and this   ‘blindness’ is historical, which is always limited.  For example, the Jewish followers of Jesus thought " he was the one to redeem Israel." But that expectation is overturned overnight with human discouragement and dissolution.  The transitional time which is a process,  is itself timeless. “The transitional period until the messianic kingdom, which the Apocalypse seeks to postpone until the end of time," explains Renaud Silly. In Mark's Gospel, after the Transfiguration, the disciples "questioned among themselves what rising from the dead meant" (Mk 9:10). For many Jews of that era, who expected a general resurrection of all the elects, this idea was indeed strange - some of them, the Sadducees, did not even believe in the resurrection of the dead. There is a different order of reality – where the perishable and the imperishable unite.

There may be  a different order of reality which we do not know now, but  in future will.  The  identity of  mortal living beings as man and woman  or animals and insects,  as we see them dying is only a visible reality. The ambiguity of a different kind of body may be clear in the future too.  If time is timeless at the end, the matter and flesh also transform in identity. That which is perishable turns into imperishable ( cf. 1 Cor 15:42-44).

Observable facts or history are not only reliable evidential proofs for mortality. The credibility of any event is based on  to a multitude of witnesses. But the value of the witnesses can be varied. Only a summation of all testimonies and observation or tests, give  an objective understanding, but strewn with bit of subjectivity or all of it.  For example, all “visionary experiences, are fundamentally subjective" explains Daniel Marguerat.[2] Often  hallucination, can give a true understanding of an unexplained event.  Historians too are not credible in their writings in its totality. They need verification of the reality in context then.

Similarly, an excavation finding is not a visible proof of something the excavators wish to establish (race, culture, etc.) To know the truth, the most important thing is what is not seen. The basic ground of any observable or analytical finding is the thesis, a presumption which is proved in the process. The real objective experience is subsumed in a metaphysical experience, with a leap of ‘faith’ –a presumed belief. Therefore, as Renaud Silly states, "Sensory vision is not enough, but signs lead to an understanding.”[3]

What we humans are doing on this visible earth is solving a puzzle, as far as we can go, and sometimes  various pieces intuitively fall into place. Often, they are coincidental.   The whole of creations and its understanding hangs in balance.  However we try to get it partially after few attempts,  we will never get the whole secret and the mystery, because mystery always remains a mystery.  The puzzle will remain eternally unsolved.

Knowing things in its entirety is a constant battle dominated by tensions, an outright conflict, that opens up a brighter and broader perspective of reality.[4] The turning point in human history would be realizing this radical novelty; that is, facing reality, in which this turning point is not visible. Humans face and see the war, with its destructions and endless conflicts, but reality resists faith in the unknowing. Oscar Wilde once wrote, “The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.” This visible mystery calls us to delve into the depths of what lies before our eyes. At first glance, it underscores the value of tangible and observable aspects of reality. Yet, upon deeper analysis and reflection, it reveals a philosophical interplay between perception and reality. More than the mystery of the unknown –that which is still hidden from us – the observable hold greater intrigue. Beyond the layers of familiarity associated with the visible world, there is an intricate patterns and interconnected ecosystems, manifested gradually as we pill off what is seen outside and exploring the inner world. We unveil wonder. However, at the same time, that which is unseen, the invisible —the mysteries of the human psyche, cosmic forces, and underlying reality—has captivated human imagination. Plato’s allegory of the cave and quantum physics exemplify this quest for knowledge beyond the visible mystery. Therefore, the visible and the invisible are intertwined in a balance. In order to understand the world, like a painter’s dimensional shades to create depth, understanding the world requires the apparent and the concealed aspects of reality. While we depend on the reliability of our senses, contrary to what Wilde confirms, we care compelled to question our perception too, because the fuller reality is beyond the realm of both our senses and perceptions.[5]

We can only persevere in the evolving reality where everything changes. The law of engagement is replaced by the law of the unknowing. The  deficient ‘WE’ are not the ‘almighty master’ of human history, but God is.  Therefore, a life lived in mystery is the ultimate human endeavor to be pursued upon. This, of course, will not change the course of historical reality, but place them in a broader perspective where the hope of a fulfilled life is possible.

 

---

[1] Cf. Al-Ghazali, in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ghazali, 16.4.2024.

[2] Cf. Guillaume Daudé, The accounts of the Resurrection in the Gospels, https://international.la-croix.com/pray/the-accounts-of-the-resurrection-in-the-gospels, 7.4.2024

[3] Cf.  Guillaume Daudé, The accounts of the Resurrection in the Gospels, https://international.la-croix.com/pray/the-accounts-of-the-resurrection-in-the-gospels?at_source, 3.4.2024

[4] Cf. Arnaud Alibert, Easter: God's battle?, https://international.la-croix.com/pray/easter-gods-battle, 7.4.2024.

[5] Cf.  Oscar Wilde: 'The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible,' in, The Socratic Method, https://www.socratic-method.com/quote-meanings-and-interpretations/oscar-wilde-the-true-mystery-of-the-world-is-the-visible-not-the-invisible, 7.4.2024

RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUAL REALITIES

 

In spiritual life we seem to seek truth as if it is available in the proximate near-experience of the Ultimate Truth. In the realm of spirituality, like all other realities, it is not so. According to Sumit Paul, Einstein’s theory of relativity applied to spiritual realities, finds that every faith, religious code, doctrine, dogmas, belief system, ideology is subjective ‘truth’ (so called!) (timesofindia.com/speaking-tree, 14.4.2024). In the present situation, the majoritarian’s absolute faith-claim to be the only truth, is false and bigotry.  Nothing that is earthly is perfect. A religious faith system cannot be called the ultimate truth. When each religion asserts itself to be  the only ‘true’ belief system and every ideology claims to be the only perfect way of life, the post-modern principle seems to hold good: there exists only subjective truths and relative realities. My belief in my faith ideologies is my subjective interpretation of the reality. It is my ‘truth’ which can be non-truth in other’s interpretation of the same reality. If we cannot accept this relative reality of our understanding, we cannot empathise with other’s ‘truth’ as well. Absolute truth in this physical world is an enigma. As our knowledge and understanding is limited, all that we live through, think through and feel through, is out of a subjective experience or partial interpretation of the same reality. Therefore, when we recognize and accept the principle of relativity of truth, we will stop claiming absolute or superior ideological and religious ‘truths’ over others.

Consequently, there is no Universal Truth within human existence. No single theory, idea, ism, doctrine, or belief is acceptable to every individual. The foundations of a claimed and established truth can never be universal, as one or the other will doubt it’s veracity. We only interpret reality which we do not know in its totality. This unknown or partially known reality is the only truth. The subjective interpretations are all individual’s or a groups’ perceptions, which come only in fractions, and not in its entirety. We see realities from our possible and perceived ‘angles’, and they are only partially true.

No man-made Religions (faith-system) are universally true. Yet, we all within our  partial truth-experience, claim them to be the best and the absolute.  It is quite natural to do so, because we all suffer from spiritual worldliness and religious pride, claiming that which is mine is the best.   We can never be certain about the  objective  truth, except that we believe  it to be so. This  belief is in some systems, codes, creed, rituals and norms. Therefore, we can only acknowledge and claim that these systems and codes are true. If this is so, human limitations in knowing the Truth should make us humble. We need to look at our faith experience and belief, as a part of the reality, and not the only reality. We cannot insist on our view of reality and forcefully load it on others. The fact is, truth as a continuous process, it evolves and expands.

Let us consider the concept of divine revelation in religions. The interpretation of these revelations found in the Sacred Scriptures, believed to  contain revelations from the Almighty, significantly vary  according to diverse religious traditions. These texts are considered absolute truth by the believers. However, different biblical scholars and theologians interpret the Scripture contents differently based on different criteria and methods. Some passages are understood as metaphorical while others, as a direct command from God. The interpretations of passages on morality, salvation, and prophecy (exegesis, hermeneutics) contained in the believed-to-be divinely inspired Bible, diverge across denominations, e.g. creation story in Genesis—whether literal or allegorical. Again, within the Religion, the countless sects/denominations emphasize in varied measures the different aspects of the texts. These variations arise due to socio-cultural context, personal experiences, and individual perspectives. Each believer’s understanding of divine truth is shaped by their upbringing, traditions, education, and spiritual journey which is ever evolving with time and space. Thus, while the core texts remain constant, the subjective prism through which they are viewed, leads to diverse interpretations. In short, the concept of universal Truth in the light of varied interpretations of revelations, exemplifies how religious truths are inherently subjective. What resonates as profound and absolute for one person may differ significantly for another, highlighting the relativity of spiritual understanding that constantly evolves and expands.

Similarly, we recognize and acknowledge Jesus’ uniqueness in so far as it evolves and expands in its understanding of the Truth in our present situation.  His pre-eminence flows from his uniqueness, in as much as his words, actions  and the experiences of his disciples/followers evolve with the present interpretation of his actual life, words and works. Yet, the extent of understanding of such interpretations is only partial. Christians believe, Jesus is the Wisdom, he is the Message. But they are understood and interpreted in our partial human ways. Christianity may deny to be a system of ideas, even though there are gradually developed doctrines, system, norms, codes and creed. It is also claimed that Christianity is not a moral code of conduct for human behaviour; that it is not an "ism,” (monotheism). To say, on the contrary that Christianity is a person, – that no idea can substitute for the person of Christ– is contradictory and erroneous, because it is a man-made religion with a developed system of belief, relied upon some doctrines codes, creed, customs and rituals.  The person of Jesus, believed to be ever living and active in the Church today, itself is an idea out of our memory, – a belief in the notional idea of Jesus, as a person. In reality, he is a distant figure of History who lived and died, but made alive through the Christian belief, that through a divine power he is living and active in the Church and in the world. This is only a fraction, a partial belief of an individual or a community of the Absolute Truth, called God, Allah, Parameswara, the Almighty, Mother, or ‘Father’ as addressed by Jesus.

On earth, God messed it up all !

 Before the Word incarnated, the Creator is present in his creation – the earth and the unfathomed universe that is beyond the human imagination. God is in the world, alive and active, with the Spirit’s Power hovering over and in everything. Integrally, God is with the universe, involved with the world he created. God is in all things “by essence, presence, and power” (Thomas Aquinas). God cares for every bit of his creation – the Panchabhoota – air, water, soil, heat and the ether. We see his active presence in nature, in human history. God is One and All in all. God IS.

We  are meant to “read the signs of the time,” to look at the world with eyes, hear what it  says with ears, taste all that is palatable and that which not to our taste, see what is happening, and unlike physiologist, philosopher and politician, be particularly attentive to the happenings around, - to the things of God.

The Earth and all of creation await being set free from “corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom 8: 22). Creation itself witnesses to God. “Even before revealing himself to man in words of truth, God reveals himself to him through the universal language of creation […] the order and harmony of the cosmos” (Wis 13:5). From the naturally organized beauty of created things we perceive the Creator (CCC 2500). We encounter this God within his creation that continually evolves.

About this natural order and of human behaviour, Jesus says, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?”  And therefore, we have to do the right thing.

Jesus incarnated into this created world,  for thirty years he lived a normal simple life in small family, and was baptized in a marshy muddy Jordan, to be meshed up with the world and its ups and down, with all its imperfection. Living in this imperfect world, Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! […] Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. […] a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Lk 12:49-51). God in Jesus had the desire to spread eternal life filled with kindled love among human beings, in each family. God-Incarnate wants all humanity to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Jesus came to light the world with divine love in order to experience the inner life of God. All are called to be bearers of the divine life, a spreaders of the fire of truth and love.

Christ, the ‘sign of contradiction’, wants to establish peace in the midst of division, through justice, truth and equality – which only can bring peace. Peace can come only through living in that truth. Relational conflicts and divisions occur when truth is rejected. It is a challenge that God has set before us: to set the world on fire of love. Knowing the signs of time, we continue working for justice that brings peace by applying our judgment to reality, “respecting the transcendent dignity of mankind” (CCC 1929). We are all called to live “according to their nature and their vocation” (CCC 1928), practising Social justice. This same duty is extended to those who think or act differently from us” (CCC 1933).

 

A PROPHET, REJECTED IN OWN COUNTRY

    

In Matthew’s account, the rejected Jesus at Nazareth, refers to himself as a prophet. More than a prophet Jesus is the Word Incarnate - the Truth in person. According to the OT, a prophet is a religious visionary and truth-teller, someone who feels with God and speaks out that felt experience. They speak truth to power. As he/she stubbornly sees the world through the lens of God’s word and speaks the truth, it implies opposition, confrontation, and critique. Prophets often spoke a ‘message from God’ while reading the signs of the times, spoke of God’s revealed truth into that particular situation, as a warning of what was to come if one did not follow the way. They simply and fearlessly pointed out the obvious (John the Baptist spoke bluntly against Herod the Tetrarch living with his brother’s wife). 

 Today’s prophets do not  condemn a person, instead, presents God’s word to evoke and provoke in order to enlighten others, and help to come face-to-face with the living God. We all need to heed to the “prophets'' of our days and participate in the prophetic ministry of Christ by incarnating God’s word within a particular situation; allow them to inform our way of thinking, acting, and speaking. Their ‘insights’ are the lens by which we read the signs of the times. John’s outspoken truth cost him his head. The nonsensical pride and vanity of the day can make people spineless. Persons become unable to resist the lure of the world. Sin strives.  Conscience and truth are compromised. Prophets, in such situation, become a light in the darkness. They give witness to us. We all are called to follow in the same prophetic path, remaining firm in the truth. Can we be counted among the prophets of our days? 

 The Present Day Prophets

It is time to listen to the prophets of today. Swami Agnivesh and Stan Swamy have been led to their death; so too many, innocent though, are languishing behind bars. Hans Kung died recently, unreconciled with the doctrinal Church. A Prophet raises up the conscience of the people with an existential and contextual significance. Persecuted as God’s servant ((Jn 15:20) Stan Swamy proved his prophetic identity, through a fuller participation in paschal mystery by self-emptying, for the sake of the marginalised and the exploited Adivasis in India (cf. Edwin Rodrigues, editorial, VJTR, 85(August 2021)8, p.4). Stan resisted inequality, and took prophetic stand for justice and human rights. A true prophet infuses valour and courage in persons, to be other prophets in the society. Like Stan, many a prophet, serve as a “grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies” (Jn 12:24) through their upright life and struggle. Prophets express dissent and raise questions, to right the wrong through a strength of character. While the common people acclaim them, they face criticism and condemnation from the authority, for whom they are a threat. Prophets commit themselves to the cause of the most vulnerable and speak out for them through critical thought and action. They are the ‘salt’ and ‘leaven’ on this earth, to energize and bring new life in the people.

 Many prophets are still existing today through their extraordinary life of dedication to truth and justice. Many are critical of the Church, and yet are loyal to her despite of difficulties. Some are treated harshly by the Church and the society. Yet, they continue asking questions that calls for reflective answers. Many dare making significant contribution to the society and to the Church. Some recognize their prophetic nature manifested through their work and teaching. They serve as the signposts for a journey of radical transformation and change. Many of them prophesy through their writings and critics. In this changing time, their actions and words sum up their prophesying. The prophets seize the moment as ‘hot’, and alert others to opportunity for change, towards new direction. But often enough, the prophet in them is ignored, their words rejected. But in course of time, they are recognized, and the truth they hold to is acknowledged. Jesus had experienced so:  "A prophet is not honoured in his own home town"(Jn 4: 44). "No prophet is ever accepted in his own country" (Lk 4:24).

If we but listen, the words of prophesy continue to echo down the years, convincing people to follow the path that one should tread. Its vision continues creeping in. Their words continue to teach and take form, as people begin to imprint them in their minds and hearts. It disturbs, though, the peace of mind. That is what the prophets do. They dare disturb human silence, ask questions and suggest ways to follow. Like John the Baptist, the voice of the prophet leads to discomfort. Today, they raise issues that many avoid listening. Prophets today raise the problem of climate change and on caring for creation, for the sake of all, for now and for the future. They challenge our style of living, our values and judgments. They persist on saying, “listen before it is too late”. The Old Testament Prophets told a story for their people, in order to reflect, in practical terms, on the perceived will of God for their lives. The voice of John the Baptist, crying in the wilderness, drew attention of the people to Jesus. Prophets earn the title of prophet by their courage, examples and their fearless voice.

 Men and women of such fortitude and courage, point the direction that we must all follow. Some are titled ‘saints, others are passed by, unacknowledged.  Yet, their rippled impact is felt on our lives. If one discerns and observes, their prophecy becomes real. Prophets are persons, set aside, chosen from the people, to tell a story with a radical vision. In Deuteronomy we read, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him" (Deut 8.15). All faith traditions have their prophets, who tell a story to inspire and act. The Global Ethic Foundation (1996) of Hans Küng promotes dialogue between the faiths for peace and unity. Prophets give guidance, to which we need to listen and adhere to. But how? Prophetic words are written out there, if we are only ready to read them in our times. (cf. Chris McDonnell, https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/prophecy-in-our-time/14349, 5.9.2021)

The Secular Lay Prophets

There are more lay prophets than the ‘clerical’ ones. The pandemic has precipitated a situation that ushered in many such lay prophets – doctors, nurses, social workers, health centres, etc., often without reputation.  They are known for taking decisive action to deal with the immediate solution to problems presently felt through a "leap of faith". These lay prophets rise above the reality of religious practices and rituals, in order to serve the society with responsibilities. During the past pandemic seasons since its start, many of them have not taken any vacation. Many stayed away from families for months just to serve the sick. Today’s lay prophets have started serving the Church and its clergy as official representatives in socio-secular fields and in the governance of the Church.  They serve as close collaborators with the Church authority, in a move that is “audacious, even prophetic”, entailing risks though. For them it is further more prophetic in being careful not to become an authoritarian "clericalized layperson". Instead, they try to promote complementarity between the different states of life while keeping in tune with the society and the representative of the "people of God". In fact, thy are ‘models’ to follow, in order to build a new reality. It is a lay culture of participation, which demands for progressive ecclesial changes by being discreetly outspoken. All the baptized are called to participate more fully (prophetically) in the life of the Church, motivated by more pragmatic considerations. It is more than doing a job as priests or laity. Now is the time and a chance to better appropriate a prophetic process in the life of the Church. (Cf. Mélinée Le Priol, Leap of faith leadership, https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/diocese-in-switzerland-becomes-a-laboratory-for-lay-leadership/14724, 30.7.2021).

Prophets dream dreams.  They are essential for the world's evolution (Cf. Brendan MacCarthaigh, https://international.la-croix.com/news/ religion /dream-and-take-a-first-step/14832, 5.9.2021). They think and talk more seriously about dreams beyond mere expectations. These lay prophets anticipate the Kingdom of God while suffering ridicule and head-on opposition. Following certain ideals in life, they buy into a new interpretation of life, and dare promote it, in the midst of opposition. Such prophetic dreams are dangerous.  These dreamer-prophets come to us as unpleasant, yet history will speak of them in future.

 

TRUTH NOT TO BE SHARED ALWAYS

Since long, a phrase, psychologically and spiritually insightful, has got stuck in my head: “Do not judge others and make presumptions about their intentions.” So, we must watch what we say, because we sin to tell the truth. We lie through our truth and do not respect others. Two big sins according to the Catholic traditions are calumny and detraction. Calumny, a favourite pastime of most human beings criticizing others, while sounding creamy, is essentially a lie about someone, and it damages the other’s reputation by falsifying someone’s innocence.

 By detraction, we malign someone by revealing his/her fault by telling the truth. But who gives me the right to reveal a fault of another to someone else?  Does he have a right to know about the fault or crime that another has committed? In both cases therefore, we commit an offense “against the virtues of justice and charity” (CCC 2479). Of course, faults and crimes need to be exposed, when someone needs to be made aware of what affects them directly. In fact, a complicit silence would be a sin if something is not exposed. But, that too depends on what and how much we say. Bible says, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (James 1:26). This involves discernment.       

Besides, detraction is a devious sin, when we easily rationalize in telling the truth, that it is okay because others “need to know” what we know. We delight in disclosing the moral failures of others whom we dislike. It is a result of pride and egotism: one feels elevated by putting down someone else. 

The Catechism teaches us a lesson for our spiritual life: “To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbour’s thoughts, words, and deeds, in a favourable way” (CCC 2478).  “But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved” (St. Ignatius, Spiritual Exercises 22). It demands grace and mortification to do so, at least for the sake of the person before whom we are critiquing about someone else. In detracting, we’re not just committing personal sin, we’re killing the soul of the person to whom we’re speaking: “The detractor, by one blow of his tongue, commonly commits three murders; he kills his own soul, and the soul of him who listens, and by a spiritual homicide takes away the civil life of the person whom he slanders” (St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life Ch. 29). 

Certainly, sometimes we need to blow the whistle. Injustices need to be exposed and fought. But we have to do it the right way through discernment. Other person's sin should not become the occasion for destroying our own standing with God. Detraction or calumny hardly have stopped someone from defaulting. We only shoot ourselves in the ‘spiritual foot’. Instead, it is good to take the occasion as a turning a mirror on ourselves, to see what is still unseen and ask: Why do we find the faults of others annoying? Why does that ‘deed’ of a confrere provoke us? The short answer is: it reminds us of a similar failing in ourselves. It is good to recount in detail the characteristics that made a person so obnoxious to us, then go back to our room and ask God to forgive those same faults in ourselves. 

God knows everything happening around, every injustice and evil. “Nothing is covered that will not be revealed” (Mt 10:26). Who am I to judge and be the jury, in situations where we have no power to ‘correct’? The Bible says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged… Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Mt 7:1-6)). Becoming a hyper-critical person will have its terrible consequences: will be hard to be around such a person. Before judging we must practise the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12). Similar statements were found earlier:  “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you” (Confucius, Analects 15.23 – 5th century BC). “Do not unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you” (Mahabharata 5, 1517 – 15th century BC). Well, this rule should not be used to substantiate unrestrained moral freedom, autonomy, and independence. Jesus’ intent was not advocating a free rein on moral accountability, not using moral judgments by our God-gifted intellectual reasons. On the contrary, Jesus was exposing the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who were quick to accuse the other while refuse to hold themselves accountable to the same standard they were imposing on everyone else. 

When we cannot right a wrong, we can just pray.  Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Mt 5:44). Wielding the grace of God affects far more than our judgement. Because the life’s goal isn't justice, it’s liberation. Thus, we promote a little more peace and harmony in the world. “He who could deliver the world from detraction would free it from a great part of the sins of iniquity” (Francis de Sales).