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The breaking of bread in the Eucharist is perceived by some as a mere ritual or symbol to emphasize the humanity of Jesus – His brokenness – as witnessed during His Passion and Death. But this simple act, seen with the eyes of faith, opens up a myriad of meanings that all point back to the life, ministry and teachings of Jesus, with whom we seek communion at the Eucharistic table.
A tangible expression of the Pope of Mercy is his concern for the homeless. Through it, he not only sets an example of how Christians should act but also reminds us of our obligation toward the poor, on whom God’s special favor rests but for whom the oppressive economic structures do not operate.
Visual reminders are necessary as they can stir people into action when statistics fail to find a listening ear. This is the effect Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, who has become renowned for his “Homeless Jesus” sculptures, hopes art should impart to its perceivers. Commenting on the same statue which was installed in Dublin in May, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said: “For the Christian, the homeless are not just statistics; our belief recalls that the plight of the homeless is our plight. This image of the “Homeless Jesus” reminds us of the demands of belief in Jesus Christ. It challenges us, before we feel we can enter the cathedral, if we have the right credentials to enter.”
Homelessness is most often associated with rough sleeping – the most obvious form of homelessness. But the term ‘homeless’ also applies to people living in temporary shelters or institutions because they are houseless. A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation. With homelessness now comes hopelessness. The hopelessness stems from the fact that the exits out of homelessness are blocked. Today, homeless people need the warmth of acceptance by others, more than the physical shelter that they can be offered.
These days, newspapers and news programs are teeming with stories of indifference, cruelty, and injustice of man against his fellowman. When stories of honesty, kindness, or compassion do make it to the front pages, we hear comments like “faith in humanity is restored,” as if kindness has become a rare commodity in a society that has become hopelessly cruel. Although mankind has not turned evil, it is obviously experiencing some sort of “compassion fatigue.” A reawakening of the common understanding of compassion among diverse peoples and cultures may, therefore, be necessary to restore peace and harmony in humanity.
Asia is known for its rich cultural diversity as well as its myriad of religious beliefs and persuasions. In the midst of these innumerable influences, a common theme, seemingly the backbone of most of these creeds, is compassion. Be it in the writings of Buddha, the pronouncements of Confucius, the hymns in the Rig Veda, or the revelations in the Koran and the Bible, all seem to point to a compassionate Supreme Being. There is no doubt that this “Divine Compassion” is the source of the innate compassion that humans have for each other, despite the growing indifference in society today.
Since his election as Bishop of Rome, mercy has been the hallmark of Pope Francis’ pontificate. It seems, however, that the Holy Father has to expend a great deal of energy to demonstrate what true mercy is because many in the Church do not seem to understand or know what it is. Many mistake it as mere adherence to the law. As the Year of Mercy begins, may Catholics take up the challenge of becoming truly merciful, not by merely rendering what is just to his fellowman as ascribed by Church law, but by having a heart like Jesus’, especially to those who are hurting and wounded in the Church.
The congested, foul-smelling, and disease-ridden slum communities all over the world are usually associated with violent urban poor communities. Some say it will be difficult to see Jesus there because of all the filth and transgressions. There is no doubt that squalor and criminality are pervasive, but Jesus is surely present, too. How could He not be, when the Church teaches that God is with the poor in a special preferential manner?
Throughout history, the Transcendental Force, the Supreme Being or the Divine, has been given different names, forms and images, depending on the circumstances, culture, and prevailing situation of a community, race, or people. Many of these images of God are distorted, if one were to go back to the pre-historic concept of the “spirit living in the heavens.” But all these images of God were shattered with the coming of Jesus Christ, the God of Love, “God with us.”
As part of his Petrine duty, Pope Francis offers his first Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, a reflection on the propositions made during the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops held in Rome last 7-28 October 2012, with the theme “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” Evangelii Gaudium has six parts: an introduction, 5 chapters,
and a concluding section within the 5th chapter. What is curious in the document is the mention of the Holy Spirit, whose Person and Mission in the light of spreading the Good News of salvation in today’s society, 77 times. As it were, the Pope is encouraging Christians to hinge their evangelizing mission on the Person of the Holy Spirit, and become Spirit-filled evangelizers.
