Archbishop Dolan's Thought for the Week

October 7, 2008 - Year of St. Paul
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Dear Friends united in love and service of Jesus Christ and His Church:

For our Jewish neighbors, these are “high holy days,” blessed moments between Rosh Hashana (September 30 this year) and Yom Kippur (Thursday, Oct 9 this year). We wish them God’s choicest blessings as they come together as families, as congregations, to pray and celebrate.

For our Islamic neighbors, the great season of Ramadan has just come to an end, and we wish them our very best as well.

If I understand correctly, both of these great religions stress renewal, conversion of heart, reconciliation with God and others, repentance and recommitment during these sacred times.

Those themes are very integral to Christians as well, aren’t they? We also have seasons -- Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter -- when we concentrate on these same noble messages. (Although we Catholics are tempted of late to ignore repentance and contrition!)

Which leads us to conclude that the world religions have a lot more that unites us than divides us.

As Pope Benedict XVI often preaches, true religion unites, not divides; forgives, not broods; helps, not hurts; loves, not hates. The true faithful are not radicals but reconcilers.

These are the sentiments of true religion that motivate the vast majority of Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

We cannot allow the fanatics to kidnap the true spirit of belief and religion.

Every religion tragically has them. We see persecution of Christians today in the Middle East region, India, and parts of Africa. Jews have been and are viciously hounded and we Christians (and, I blush, I include us Catholics) hardly have a perfect record on the way we have treated Jews, Muslims and other believers throughout our long history.

It’s time to claim that those who preach hate, urge violence and hold that “religion” justifies oppression, coercion and attacks on others, are the real infidels and heretics and definitely do not represent authentic religious faith.

Another characteristic that unites the great world religions is the act of trusting a loving, providential God in times of turmoil and trouble.

Once again, we see the most popular idol of them all -- money -- fail us, as those who placed absolute trust in financial security are discovering. The Lord is again inviting us to trust Him, not to be afraid, to set our heart on the higher gifts, to seek the values of the road to eternity, not of Wall Street.

Renewal, reconciliation, repentance, trust in God -- Jews, Muslims and Catholics are united in holding such values high, in never flagging in their pursuit and in encouraging each other in seeking them!

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan

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