Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:2

There is a joke about a man who put a dog and a cat in the same cage together. They got along perfectly. Then, he put a bird, a pig and a goat together. They, too, got along fine. Finally, he put a Baptist, a Presbyterian, and a Catholic together and all hell broke loose. Imagine if he tried to put together a Christian, a Muslim, and a Hindu! In today’s society, it has become obvious that Christians live in the same city and in the same world with people of other religions. But, do they get along?

The gospel of Matthew, chapter two, tells us of the Magi who came from faraway lands to worship the baby Jesus. They came guided by a star. Since they were nature worshippers, they had no scriptures. God revealed Himself to them through the means available to them. Through the stars they were able to learn of the birth of Jesus and find their way to Him. They came as pagans; they worshipped as pagans; and they returned home as pagans. They did not convert to Judaism, yet their worship was acceptable to God and God directed them in their journey home through a dream. This shows that God does have a relationship with people of other religions who are neither Jews nor Christians.

There is only one God, and all who seek God with a sincere heart are led to Him, though they call Him by different names. One thing Christians have in common with members of other religions is that we all worship one God. We all are children of the same Father. This truth is hard for some religious people to appreciate because denominations all over the world tend to claim that they have exclusive access to God and the truth.

The Jewish people believed that they were the exclusive people of God. They divided the whole world into two groups: the chosen people and the Gentiles. Some of the prophets tried to correct this misunderstanding by reminding them of the universal love of God for all humankind. But it was not until Jesus came that this new idea began to take root. This is the message St. Paul preached: “that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6)

In the past, Christians tended to make the same mistake as the Jews of old by claiming that there is no salvation outside the church. Then, Vatican II came along; the church opened the windows to the Holy Spirit; and came to recognize that God’s truth is available to people of other religions, although not to the same degree. The difference between the Christian faith and other faiths is, not that others cannot be saved, but that we possess the fullness of the unique revelation of Christ. We should always remember that if we don’t stay awake even though we have the privilege of the fullness of truth, others, not of our company, will be saved ahead of us and we will be rejected for not being faithful.

Fr. Hugh Duffy

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