by Leela Ramdeen, Chair of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice
Let us join the Holy Father in praying for those who died in Japan’s recent 8.9 magnitude earthquake and the tsunami that followed. He invoked “divine blessings of strength and consolation” on grieving friends and families and expressed solidarity with those involved in the rescue and relief efforts.
If anyone wishes to contribute to the relief efforts, please contact the St Vincent de Paul Society tel: (1-868) 623-4926, 625-3562. E-mail: secretariat@svdptt.org
Today’s Psalm (33:5) reminds us that God “loves virtue and justice”. We are called to live virtuous lives; to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are in need – wherever they live. Solidarity is a virtue and a key social justice principle. As the Vatican II, document, The Church in the Modern World, states:
“The joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted, are the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well.”
And while you strengthen your prayer life during this Lenten season, check out the following helpful link to contemporary Stations of the Cross which “takes us on a prayerful journey of transformation in solidarity with people living in poverty in the global South”. (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development: http://www.cafod.org.uk/worship/lent-and-easter/walk-with-us.)
I was a guest on CNMG TV (Channel 6) on Ash Wednesday, discussing the significance of Lent. Some of the questions asked via text were interesting e.g. someone asked if receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday guarantees salvation. Ashes are a “sacramental”. Anyone can receive ashes on Ash Wednesday – including those who are not Catholics, but this does not guarantee salvation.
Read our Catechism: 1667-1679 to find out more about sacramentals which “are sacred signs instituted by the Church. They prepare men and women to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life.” There are various forms of sacramentals – objects and actions; forms of piety that “enrich Christian life” e.g. ashes used on Ash Wednesday, statues, holy water, medals, scapulas, making the sign of the cross, and genuflecting. These help us to deepen our devotion as Catholics.
But such objects and actions alone will not guarantee our salvation. There is a wonderful homily by Fr George Smiga who recalls a speech by Sr Mary McCormick in which she recounts a theological debate between Augustine and Pelagius about how we gain salvation, why God loves us? He says:
“God saves us, simply because God chooses to save us. We are in relationship with God because God chooses to initiate that relationship. None of our good works cause God to love us. It is all grace. Now, of course, St Augustine felt we should do good works. He felt that was what God asks of us. But he was insistent that God does not love us because of the good works that we do. God loves us simply because God loves us…Augustine’s position is now official Church teaching. We come to salvation totally by God’s grace…
“(Y) you and I, are most often the elder brothers and sisters of the parable (of the Prodigal Son). We try to live our lives right. We work hard. We come to church. These are all good things which God asks of us. But we must never think that these good works of ours give us a claim on God’s love…
“God remains free, free to love those who are less good than we are. God remains free to love those who are struggling, to love those who are sinful… God’s love is primary and our deeds are secondary. God remains free to rejoice in a sinner who repents, in the weak who try, in the prodigal who comes home. And if we intend to live in our Father’s house, we must be willing to rejoice as well.”
It is God’s grace that caused Him to send His only son, Jesus, to die so that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). As is stated in Romans 5:8: “…what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.”
Thank God for His loving grace.
