Serving the Divine Physician

Earlier this week , thanks to Deacon John Meyer, staff listened to a presentation by Father Bob McCahill, Maryknoll Missioner, serving the poor and sick in Bangladesh, a country ranked among the poorest of nations worldwide. Coincidentally, we learned that, according to a poll conducted by a research organization in Great Britain, Bangladesh ranks #1 as having the happiest people on earth! By comparison, The U.S. ranks in the 40 percentile.

In a predominantly Muslim nation, Father McCahill emphatically stated that his mission is NOT to convert, but his purpose is to “ live among people who are not Christian and treat them with love, respect and brotherhood”; and that all of his “family is humanity”.

I couldn’t help but recall the year I spent promoting the work of international health organization, Esperanca, based in Phoenix (founded by the late Father Luke Tupper, O.F.M.). As I travelled across the U.S. to address many denominations and parishes, I was frequently asked (by mostly wealthy women), “But, are poor people REALLY happy?” If they only knew!

As Father McCahill witnesses to people, so must we. Our purpose is to show the love of Christ, the love of God, and to BE WITH others to soak up their wisdom, pain, and joy as we share ours with them.

Why does religion, the standard that ties us all together, complicate things by rules and regulations that serve to separate rather than unite? We can embrace different cultures, values, norms (in a healthy life-giving sense) without conforming, and lead by example, modeling good behavior and respect for others. Throughout our lives we are faced with choices. God’s Spirit, through the gift of right judgment, can guide and strengthen us. It doesn’t however, replace out own responsibility for our actions. The gospel calls all persons to care for the hungry and despised. Challenge yourself! There are different approaches directed at a common belief.

There are wonderful role models out there. Among them are Bede Griffiths, a Benedictine monk who lived in India, a proponent of integral thought, and champion of Hindi-Christian dialogue; Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and 20th century American author, poet, and social activist; and Dorothy Day, who had a progressive attitude toward social and economic rights, alloyed with a very orthodox and traditional sense of Catholic morality and piety.

What fruit do you bear—-your leadership, doing good deeds, modeling good behavior and respect for others? We may never know. Ponder and reach your own decision. Follow your conscience. Make God’s love visible wherever you are.

“The biggest mistake sometimes is to play things very safe and end up being moral failures”. Dorothy Day

Diane Fausel