October 7, 2005
Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and this month is the month dedicated to the rosary. Many of us who are Catholic are sometimes surprised at the apparent hostility some fellow Christians have towards Mary. This however, should not shake us, let alone usher us into an “attack mode”. That is, reacting and regressing to adolescence – going toe to toe shouting “What did you say about my mother?” It is not hatred but rather fear which is at the root of prejudice. The solution is to respond, not react.
Those who identify themselves as “believers”, “born again”, or “Bible Christians” often flinch at the mere mention of Mary. As we should not be surprised at such an immediate reaction, so too should we be ready to charitably respond. Our strategy in these situations involves authentic respect and great patience. This is when we can offer a wonderful witness to an important fact; namely, it’s not just knowing Bible chapter and verse, but putting chapter and verse into practice. While God’s word is indeed a “two-edged sword”, its purpose is not to hurt, but rather to heal. The Bible should be used as a scalpel which cuts out the bad rather than a sword to destroy that which is good.
One time I encountered the “evangelical ire” of a young woman from Puerto Rico, who, when I was introduced, broadsided my friendly smile with a scowl. I immediately knew something was up, and tried as best as I could to melt her frozen face with the warmth of human kindness. My efforts to make some conversation were a bit like trying to soften a brick in warm water. After an enthusiastic description of a warm and wonderful weekend I enjoyed in her native country years ago, she eyed my religious habit up and down and said with a tiny tinge of disdain, “What religion are you?” My interior computer read the situation: she was a former cultural Catholic – now a fervent anti-Catholic.
When I informed her that I was a Catholic priest and a Franciscan, she dryly told me, “My grandmother was Catholic. She used to pray to idols”. Thinking that she was involved in the occult, I asked, “Santaria?” which is a popular religion that mixes Catholicism with pagan practices. She widened her eyes and leaned into me, “No, she prayed to statues in her Catholic church. My grandmother used to touch and even kiss the statues!” I tried to lighten the load of her intensity. “Listen”, I laughed, “my grandmother was from Italy, and believe me, she kissed everything! Kissing something or someone doesn’t mean you worship them!”
I then attempted to gently explain how culture plays a big part in how people express themselves, which can obscure the truth of another’s belief. Language too can get a person in trouble as when they read poetry as if it were prose. I told her, “When your grandmother said she was worshiping the saints, she meant venerating or honoring.” I also explained the origins of Christian art and iconography, because art can help educate our mind, enrich our imagination, direct our wills, and even stir our affections to love. As I said earlier, a brick doesn’t soften in water, but it does quietly and imperceptibly get smaller. Although her heels were still definitely dug in, her knuckles were not as white. In fact, I didn’t even have to wrestle a smile out of her when I asked, “So, do you have a boyfriend?” Well, her high beams snapped on, and as she responded “yes”, I noticed her hand unconsciously clutch a small golden oval which hung from her neck. She sheepishly smiled as she showed me a tiny medallion upon which was etched the face of a smiling young soldier. That’s when a voice within me said, “Go for it”.
I said, “Hey, before I leave, two questions: one – have you ever told anyone you adored your boyfriend? And two – have you ever kissed his picture!” “It’s not the same thing!” she laughed as she playfully pushed me away. “Yes, it is!” I responded, “Yes, it is!”
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
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