Christ the King/ pastoral Letter from our Bishop
PASTORAL LETTER OF
BISHOP KIERAN CONRY
to
be read at all Masses on the
weekend of 24/25 November 2012
Feast of Christ the
King
Dear
people of Arundel & Brighton
I
was in Rome Liberia and a bishop
from Eritrea Middle East ,
was the question of relations with other religions, and especially Islam.
The
gospel reading today ends just tantalisingly short of that famous line from
Pontius Pilate, ‘Truth? What is that?” And because we only have the written
word, we don’t know how he said that. Was it a cynical jibe at Jesus, or an
honest enquiry? Was it even a word of sympathy, as if to say, “Why are you
really standing before me?” After all, he then goes out to the crowd again and
says to them, “I find no case against him.”
Today’s
Feast of Christ the King ends our liturgical year; next week a new yearly cycle
begins with the First Sunday of Advent. So today we not only round off the year
but somehow also sum it up. Christ is supreme over all things, and in him truth
is to be found. There are the fundamental truths about ourselves, that we are
made in the image of God, and that all things came into being through him;
“Through him all things came to be;
not one thing had its being
but through him,”
as
the beginning of John’s gospel tell us. And this tells us the truth about human
dignity, that what we call ‘human rights’ are not given to people by the
enlightened generosity of governments, but that we all have a fundamental
dignity simply because we are human. And because of that, too, there are truths
about the sacredness of life and the need for love.
But
there are truths, then, that are less clear, and these are the truths about
God, and these are truths that we must never stop trying to grasp more fully.
What does God mean to me? How do I see God? Do I expect to experience God, and
if so, how? And what does God want of me, and how does God see me? Do I really
believe that God loves me so much that he sent his only Son to die on the cross
for me? I know that for many of our young people these are questions that they
are asking seriously as well. Today is also National Youth Sunday, and I ask
you to pray for our young people especially. The ones that I meet always give
me a great sense of hope and comfort; their lives seem very complicated, but I
think their hearts are in the right place, and they tend to see fewer
differences between people.
Recently
Pope Benedict was quoted as saying that one of the more important documents to
come out of the Council was not one of the four we are studying for the
diocesan Jubilee . It was the
document called in Latin Nostra Aetate, from the opening words, “In this age of
ours..” and goes on to talk about how people are coming together much better and
how “the bonds of friendship between different people are being strengthened.”
I’m not sure we would say that with the same conviction today. But the document
goes on to say that the Church wants to examine its relationship with other
non-Christian religions, to see what we have in common and to see ways in which
this can foster better relations between peoples.
The
document talks about questions relevant to all religions: “What is the meaning
and purpose of life? How can genuine happiness be found? What happens at
death?” In the first chapter of the document there are passing references to
Hinduism and Buddhism, and it says that “the Church rejects nothing of what is
true and holy in these religions.” These were bold words in 1965, even shocking
to some. And then the second chapter begins, “The Church also has a high regard
for Muslims,” and acknowledges that there has been a sad history of conflict
between Christians and Muslims. But it goes on to urge “a sincere effort be
made to achieve mutual understanding, for the benefit of all.”
So
what of today’s celebration? If Christ is Lord and King of all, how are those
saved who do not acknowledge or know him? The answer is that all people, we
believe, are saved in Christ, whether they know him or not. Those who
consciously reject him presumably do not want to be saved. But it raises the
more important question about the nature of truth. Is it something we possess,
or is it something we search for?
The
search for truth means having an open mind and an active mind. It means having
a tolerant and welcoming outlook. It involves listening and praying. It
involves thinking and reflecting. It cannot mean standing still.
I’ve
no doubt that Pilate never forgot that meeting with Jesus, and for the rest of
his life probably wondered, “Who was that man? What was he here for?” They are
questions that have been asked by millions since, and as we begin a new year
with Advent next week, and especially during this Year of Faith, I ask that we
renew ourselves in that sense of search and that willingness to ask and ponder
those questions. In the end they are not just questions about Jesus, but about
who we are as well.
With
my prayers and best wishes for you all.
Bishop
of Arundel & Brighton
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