Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, Bishop Emeritus of San Cristobal de Las Casas and responsible for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM), offers Exaudi’s readers his weekly article entitled “Another Country, with Mustard Seeds.”
See
The floor charge, extortions, threats, armed groups, and violence, in general, are increasing, coupled with absent or overrun Authorities. There is no lack of those that assert that the Authorities are in collusion with crime, but this is difficult to prove. What is obvious is that they don’t confront these groups with all the tactical resources the government has.
Therefore, the people feel vulnerable, helpless, exposed to so much arbitrariness. As religious Pastors, we cannot stay silent and only lament the situation. There are those that recommend that we say nothing about it, but we can’t leave our people alone; we must accompany them and defend them, in the measure of our responsibilities.
However, social peace, harmony in our communities, shared progress and solidary wellbeing depends also on each one of us. From our family, with the light and help of God, we can be builders of another lifestyle. As Jesus says, we can be small mustard seeds that bear fruit in due time.
If each one makes an effort to be just, to respect his neighbors, not to hurt anyone, to help those that are suffering, to share from one’s poverty, the country can change; our homeland can be an oasis of peace. The country also depends on each one of us. The worst thing is only to criticize and complain.
Think
In an ecumenical meeting to promote peace in Lebanon, Pope Francis said something that enlightens us on the situation we are living in our country:
“As Christians, we want to renew today our commitment to building the future together, because the future will only be peaceful if it’s common. Relations among men cannot be based on the pursuit of interests, privileges, and private earnings. No, the Christian vision of society stems from the Beatitudes, it springs from meekness and mercy, it leads to imitating in the world the way God acts, who is Father, and who wants harmony among His children. We, Christians, are called to be sowers of peace and architects of fraternity, not to live with past resentments and remorse, not to flee from present responsibilities, to cultivate a look of hope towards the future. We believe that God shows us only one direction for our path: that of peace. Therefore, we assure our openness and willingness to collaborate in the building of fraternity and the promotion of peace. The latter doesn’t call for winners and losers, but brothers and sisters that, despite the misunderstandings and wounds of the past, move from conflict to unity . . . In the night of a crisis, we must stay united. Together, through honest dialogue and sincere intentions, we can bring light to dark areas. Let us entrust all efforts and commitments to Christ, Prince of Peace. May the night of conflicts vanish and a dawn of hope rise. May resentments cease, may discords disappear and may the light of peace shine again” (July 1, 2021).
In our 2021+2033 Global Pastoral Project we, Mexican Bishops, say: “it’s necessary to acknowledge that, in different measures, all of us citizens are responsible for the situation we are living. It’s undeniable that there are persons who bear greater responsibility for this because they have taken advantage of public and political offices or immoral influences to enrich themselves scandalously, leaving in poverty and under inhuman condition a great number of citizens. In our society as a whole, we Mexicans have not involved ourselves responsibly in our country’s destiny and we have often left in dishonest hands and unscrupulous people the development of our homeland” (PGP 44). In face of this we propose: “to foster the sense of civil responsibility of all the citizens” (176 g).
Act
Each one of us must ask him/herself what we can do to build another society, another country. How can I be a peace-builder in my family, with my neighbors, with those with whom I’ve had problems? How can I be of influence in my community, so that we can coexist in peace and avoid injustices and lawsuits? Let each one of us do what we can for our local and national community.
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
