Dear Parishioners,

Husbands or wives may push their point of view across depending on who wields more power in the relationship. Parents may impose behavior on their children, just because their forefathers did things that way. And young people may cling to their point of view just because they feel sure that the modern way is superior to the old. Christians may despise people of other faiths and devalue their belief just because the others may be of another religion. After all, we say with certain smugness, don't we possess the true faith?

In the Gospel, the one who wanted to stop someone driving out demons in Jesus' name was, of all people, St. John. The incident illustrates the fiery temperament of the "the beloved disciples" which may have been responsible for earning for him and his brother, James, the title "Sons of Thunder". Jesus makes an important emphasis on tolerance – "Whoever is not against us is for us."

William Barclay, commenting on this passage of scripture, says that intolerance is a sign of arrogance and ignorance. It is a sign that we believe there is no truth beyond what we see. We sometimes despise and oppose something we actually do not really understand. Rigid people believe that there is only one right solution to a problem. Tolerant people, on the other hand, are alert to the fact that there may be several correct solutions to the same problem.

Last year when I went to India, I took Lufthansa airlines and went through Frankfurt. A priest friend of mine at the same time went completely in the opposite direction, taking Singapore airlines through Hong Kong and Singapore. He too reached India. I met him there. Can you imagine two different people travel in the opposite directions and still able to meet and cherish the presence of one another? It is perfectly possible because our home destination is one and the same and we never stopped journeying.

Spiritually too it is possible because we are all created in the image of God and our Eternal Home is one and the same. To reach our Eternal Home, we must journey from our selves to other selves. Tolerance initiates this spiritual journey. The Word of God invites us to bend a little and make a sincere attempt to understand the behavior and views of others. Perhaps they too have a grain of truth in what they say and do – maybe even more than a grain.

"Tolerance starts when you practice it." (Proverb) May the good Lord bless all of us that we may be more tolerant towards one another.

May God bless us all.

Father Lawrence