“The Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. Freedom of this kind means that all men should be immune from coercion on the part of individuals, social groups and every human power so that, within due limits, nobody is forced to act against his convictions nor is anyone to be restrained from acting in accordance with his convictions in religious matters in private or in public, alone or in associations with others.” – Declaration on Religious Liberty, Vatican II, December 7, 1965
The general principles of religious liberty were reaffirmed 51 years ago during the Second Vatican Council. Truth is sought by all humans by way of our being. Endowed with reason and will, mankind has the right to seek truth. There, a restlessness presents itself until truth is ultimately discovered. Christians’ truth is God, who is Truth and the Source of all freedom. The freedom to embrace the Almighty is, hence, a sacred liberty. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #1785, states, “In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord’s Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.” This is a life-long journey.
Caught in the Cross-fire
My family appreciates watching movies at home. The local library has an extensive collection of DVD’s which cover the gambit of genre. A few weeks ago I checked-out Silence, released in December 2016, which follows the path of Jesuit Missionaries who traveled to Japan from Portugal in the 17th Century. It caught my attention because it reminded me of another movie titled The Mission released in 1986, which tells the story of Jesuit Missionaries serving the Indians in South America. Both of these movies captured the magnitude of what it means to “take hold” of ones faith.
Silence was epic. It is the first movie I have seen since Schindler’s List where I wanted to stop watching because of the realities of torture but knew I needed to endure to the final frame. Two Jesuit missionaries were unloaded from a skiff right off the shoreline of a remote area in Japan and slipped in under the cloak of fog and darkness. Immediately their lives were in danger. Local Japanese Catholic faithful who were baptized several years before by a Jesuit priest, but was now missing, discovered the priests hiding in the watery cave. They immediately recognized the “Padre” and led them to a hut hidden the mountains. They warned then to only open the door after hearing the coded “knock.” Otherwise, hide in the sub-flooring and do not come out.
After imminent danger passed, what followed were incredible moments of pure joy, as the native people were able to participate in the Sacraments for the first time in many years. They were crying tears filled with joy as the priest administered Holy Eucharist, something deprived because their first priest was gone. Ultimately, these two missionaries were discovered by the local Japanese Inquisitor and his ruthless militia. I’ll pause the story here and invite you to watch the movie. Be reminded, it is a must-see, but difficult at times.
Fortified in Faith
What impacted me the most about this true story was the fortitude of the Catholic Japanese people. They risked their lives to partake in the Sacraments. In the absence of a priest they held steadfast to their faith in silence, for to utter a Christian word or be found with a sacramental would result in immediate arrest, torture and possible death. As soon as the two priests came to the island, the lay faithful were once again given the ability and freedom to fully worship God, albeit undercover. The presence of the Jesuit missionaries gave them courage to stand defiant against the oppressive government and to hope of what was to come, that being eternal life. Many times during the course of the movie I said out loud, “We take our faith for granted. It is so easy to walk into Mass without looking over our shoulders.”
Religious Liberty Today
Yet, in many ways we are silenced because of our beliefs and practices. Think of a time during the course of a conversation where God, Jesus and the faith came up and someone shut the conversation down because they disagreed? It happens between families members, friends, co-workers, and strangers. Someone once told me she was not allowed to place any religious articles on her desk in a cubicle at her previous job because she was told by her supervisor that it would offend the other office personnel. She left that position and happy (and grateful) to work for the Church where she is able to openly share the practices of her faith.
Here is the argument using that as an example. If all employees are allowed to display family pictures in a personal office space, including Christians, then by all means, Jesus’ picture should be allowed on the desk. He is our Father. Right? This is what we KNOW. Right? Who is to say otherwise? This is Truth. But, the authoritative powers who control the employee paychecks and benefit plans will admonish such an employee for publicly displaying their faith. My friends, your 1st Amendment Right has just been neutralized. Simple as that.
Let Freedom Ring
Always and in all ways we are called to humbly proclaim the Gospel. How? First, and foremost, we love. Jesus gave us the two greatest commandments to love God and others. He opens the path of love through mercy and the Beatitudes. These actions create in us new hearts of steadfast courage under duress. Whether the oppression comes from someone we know or from strangers, we are to walk in the way of the Beatitudes, this grateful path of charity. Bishop Robert Barron’s Catholicism Series DVD series offers a genuine reflection on the beatitudes.
Life is a gift. Happiness is real. Liberty is sacred. All three originate from God, who is Love. If love is present, God is present. If God is present, love is present. And that is Sacred Liberty.
Peace.
Dina D. Dow, Director