"We Must Obey God Rather Than Men"
Sunday Mass Readings
Zimbabwe, the small country in the South of Africa is much in the news these days. The fortunes of Zimbabwe have for more than two decades been tied to President Robert Mugabe, the pro-independence campaigner who wrested control from a small British colonist community in the 1980’s and became the country's first native leader. Prior to his reign there had been much oppression of the natives by British settlers. For example, in 1930, the Land Apportionment Act restricted the native access to land, forcing many of them into wage labour. Native opposition to colonial rule grew between 1930 and 1960. Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 and since then has been the ruled by Mugabe. While he began well, he changed the country’s Constitution in 1987 and became its executive president. They say, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Now, Mugabe presides over a nation whose economy is in tatters, where poverty and unemployment are endemic and political strife and repression commonplace. Zimbabwe has the world's highest annual rate of inflation - 1,700% - and only one person in five is in full-time work. In the midst of all the turmoil, the Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, has begun a small but determined campaign to restore some normalcy to his nation. "The church has a prophetic role to speak the truth when no-one else dares to,” the Archbishop told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. He also accepts the fact that his opposition to Mugabe may cost him his life.
The church’s involvement in and with the struggles of people is not new. No one can forget the peaceful revolution of the Church in the Philippines, which ended the oppressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos. No one can forget the martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero in El Salvador where he began a struggle for liberation for his native people. We cannot forget the murder of Sr. Dorothy Stang of Dayton who campaigned for the native people in Brazil. These people are only the latest followers of the apostle Peter in today’s first reading, who said to authorities of his time, “We must obey God rather than men.”
My dear friends, we know Peter’s story of commitment to Christ all too well. From his self-proclaimed commitment to his triple betrayal of Christ, Peter had changed his mind all too often. Thus in today’s gospel reading, Peter is impetuously leading the disciples in the very opposite direction that Christ would have him go. “I am going fishing,” he says to them. Christ had taken him from fishing and told him that he would from now on be fishing men. Peter seemed to have given up. The rest of the disciples followed suit. It was at this moment that Jesus appeared to Peter and reminded him of his original calling. Three times Jesus tells him to “Feed his lambs.” Yes, Peter must stay and struggle with the people out of his love for Christ. Finally, Peter is a changed man. Thus in today’s first reading Peter the denier stands in front of the very authorities who crucified Jesus and says, “We must obey God rather than men.”
The history of the Church is as murky as Peter’s life story. We know too well that the Church that was persecuted for the first three hundred years of its existence, got its fortunes mixed up with the State once Constantine made Christianity the state religion. Later, the kind of Christianity that the colonizers introduced in many parts of the world was hardly the Christianity of Christ; it was a Christianity that was more obedient to men rather than God. Colonial Christianity had nothing to do with the Beatitudes; the kingdom of the poor, the meek, humble, and reconciling Christ. But with the II Vatican Council a new Pentecost happened in the Church. Like Peter in today’s gospel reading, Christ reminded the church of its true mission – to be the true presence of Christ in the world.
There are three ways the Church can be the presence of Christ in the world today.
The church can be the presence of Christ in its struggle with suffering people. If Peter had given up in front of the authorities just that one time, the church would not be the same today. But the lambs were entrusted to him. There is a reason God raises people like Archbishop Ncube. By its very mission the church must stand by those who are struggling. That is the mission of the Church. It is this mission that makes the Catholic Church in the United States take the stand it does on many controversial issues. Its campaign in favor of the unborn, its support for raising minimum wage, its stand in favor of the immigrants comes from the conviction that it is called to be the presence of Christ to the most helpless of peoples. In our individual lives too we must at least try to comprehend the Church’s stand on issues where its stand is in favor of the poor. We must be obedient to God rather than men.
In a world torn apart by violence and war, the church can be the presence of Christ by being the harbinger of peace. The early Christian church was persecuted for the first three hundred years. There is not one incident where Christians returned violence with violence. Any violence done to them ended with them. During these days, the church has become a champion of peace often calling for dialogue rather than violence as a means of ending conflict. We too, individually, must make present in the world the reconciling ministry of Christ even if we ourselves are the victims of violence. We must be obedient to God rather than men.
Archbishop Pius Ncube is a modern day Peter. At the cost of losing his life he is willing to say what Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men.” Here is one of our own making this heroic sacrifice. This one man has inspired me to be radical in my own following of Christ. There are perhaps hundred of such people who are quietly living their Christian calling. Today, let us pray for the heroes among us. Let us also try and live in a manner where we will be obedient to God rather than men.
If Christ gives us to himself today in this Eucharist, it is to strengthen us like he strengthened Peter. Let us receive Christ in this Eucharist and be the presence of Christ in our world. Amen.