An anchor of unconditional love, compassion in the stormy sea of animosity and injustice

Much before Europe became Christian and Christianity took roots in Europe, the Middle East, Greece and the Asia-minor or North Africa had already flourishing Christian communities. Even in our own country, Christians were present from the very beginning. The apostle of Jesus, Thomas is said to come up to South India. No doubt, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in present Palestine and his apostles and disciples were Jewish from present Israel, but the first disciples of Jesus were called Christians, not in Israel or in Palestine but in Antioch, in present Syria. Christianity is a religion that is not centred around the location of its origin. Geographical basis and cultural affinity become irrelevant in consideration of the fact that the believer himself becomes the living temple for God and His message. It is not the location but the living God in Jesus Christ, who is accessible everywhere and to everyone. How much do we Christians know Jesus, His divine nature and teaching? How much faith do we have and profess?

Old European cultures like the many other ethnic groups in the world had their own set of gods and goddesses. The ancient Greek, Roman and Germanic cultures had their own sacred cults and worship. They had their indigenous deities and sacred places. The One and Supreme God is surely not a national hero or national pride. Ancient Greek philosophy begins to question critically the existing religious practices and their world of deities. For the ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristoteles, the search for wisdom and truth became their ideals. They are the ones who questioned the whims and fancies of gods. Plato's Euthyphro Dilemma (399-395 BC) questions the notion of piety and the Divine command theory. The dialogue takes place on the day of trial for Socrates before the courthouse. Socrates tells Euthyphro that he is charged with crimes of corrupting the youth and for refusing the gods of the state, for impiety. In the following trial, Socrates will be proved guilty and condemned to die. It was a mob justice. The dialogue of Plato gives not only philosophical insights, but also offers impulses for the right understanding of religion and its practices.

It tries to differentiate between morality and religion. Socrates asks Euthyphro what he understands under, when he says, something is holy? Is it that, what is agreeable to gods? Is something holy or pious because gods approve it, or gods approve it because it is pious? In that case, it was difficult to ascertain, because gods themselves are not the same opinion. Euthyphro Dilemma is about the essence of religion and that is the main interest of Socrates. Whom do we try to appease or gratify in doing religious observances? Are we reasonable enough to question the traditions and practices or follow them blindly? Plato's dialogue becomes an eye-opener. Euthyphro was a pious person living a normal life. He considered himself as the one who enjoys the favour of gods. He performed religious rituals and practices for gods and deities. Socrates, by his method of inquiry and questioning, made him aware of the need to define things properly, like justice, piety and to know what gods really want from men. Faith and reason are not something, which are incompatible with each other and cannot be divorced from each other. Faith and Reason (Fides et ratio) are the grounds upon which the Doctrines of the Church are built.

Christianity as a faith had to wait nearly 300 years, before she was made the religion of the whole Roman empire. Erstwhile she had to face suffering and persecution until the great Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 and proclaimed the Edict of Milan in the year 313, which declared tolerance for Christianity in the entire Roman Empire. It belongs to the very core of Christianity that the followers of Jesus Christ experience discrimination, persecution and death. They face rejection and suppression even to this day, making it the most persecuted religious group in the world. The precise number of Christians, who are killed or suppressed because of their faith, remains unclear. Nevertheless, it is a fact that the attacks on Christians are on the rise. It is prophetic and belongs to the very life of Jesus Himself, who had foretold. “This is my Command to you. Love one another. If the world hates you, know that it hated me first” (John 15, 17-18). Or in the Gospel of St Matthew, “Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of my Name” (24,9). It is our weakness and our great strength, when others persecute and discriminate us because we believe and proclaim Christ. Christians are not to hate others and they shall love their enemies and adversaries, who maltreat them. Jesus has come to give life in abundance for all mankind. He lets the door of His heart always open for all. His way is the way of becoming small and suffering for others, instead of making others suffer. He says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Sermon on Mount, Mt 5,43-45). He follows the way of forgiveness and showing mercy.