On October 20, 2014, the Most Reverend Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia delivered the 27th Erasmus Lecture entitled, Strangers in a Strange Land, which can be seen by going to First Things. It was masterful and I encourage all to read it.
The idea that we Christians are strangers in a strange land is not something new. Jesus Himself said it moments before He was arrested and condemned to death. Speaking to God the Father, He said, “I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (Jn 17:14).
One might ask, if we are in the world but not of the world, how are we supposed to act? Jesus answered this question by saying, “You are the light of the world …. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5:14-16).
According to Archbishop Chaput, we are to remember three things: first, “We’re a people of worship first, and action second.”
Second, “There are no unhappy saints. Pope Francis says that ‘a Christian without joy is not a Christian.’”
And third, “We’re in the world but not of the world. We forget that at our peril. Henri de Lubac wrote many years ago that “when the world worms its way into the life of the Church, the Church becomes not just a caricature of the world, but even worse than the world in her mediocrity and ugliness.”
As for our duties in the world, Archbishop Chaput states, “As I’ve said many times before, we have serious obligations as believers to care for the poor, the immigrant, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Those duties belong personally to you and me, not just to the government -- though government clearly has an important role. If we ignore the poor, we will go to hell. If we blind ourselves to their suffering, we will go to hell. If we do nothing to ease their burdens; then we will go to hell. Ignoring the needs of the poor among us is the surest way to dig a chasm of heartlessness between ourselves and God, and ourselves and our neighbors.” Tough words, these. I can only imagine he was thinking of Jesus’ words outlined in Mt. 25:31-46 concerning the general judgment, and in Lk. 16: 19-31 concerning the rich man and Lazarus as he wrote these comments.
When I read his lecture, I thought of our many donors who selflessly support us spiritually with their prayers and penances, materially with items not needed around their homes and farms and financially. I am confident they do so, not for motivations of fear but of love. Our donors use Catholic Social Services as a vehicle to help needy individuals and families because they love Jesus and His presence in our neighbors. Finally, the archbishop of Philadelphia states, “Religion only works its influence on democracy if people really believe what it teaches.”
I am grateful that our benefactors believe what Jesus teaches and for this I am proud of all of you.
