Pope Francis "Different Languages to God"

During his trip to Asia a few weeks ago, Pope Francis, speaking to an interreligious group of young people in Singapore, made the following statement:

“Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God but God is God for all. But my God is more important than your god, is that true? There is only one God and each of has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.”

His remarks were widely interpreted – misinterpreted, I believe – to claim that every religion is equally true. The backlash was immediate, vitriolic, and often hateful. The extreme reactions cut deeply, not simply because it deluged Francis with venom. Not only because of the judgmental absolutism. Not just because of the limits it put on God. But because it completely wrote off billions of people as unworthy of God’s love.

Every human being ever born was created in the image of God and wrapped in His infinite and unconditional love. Original sin, however, has separated us from God; only perfection can exist in God’s presence. It is Jesus’ redemptive death that purifies us, as reflected in Scripture: “Jesus said to (Thomas), ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (Jn 14:6) That is an unequivocal statement from Jesus. A universal truth.

Yet…

At this moment in time, there are about 8.2 billion people living on earth. About 2.4 billion are Christian. Assume, for argument’s sake, half of the 5.8 billion non-Christians have at least heard of Jesus, what’s to be said of the nearly three billion people currently alive who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the savior? Would the God of unimaginably perfect love create even one person who, by circumstances of birth and culture, has no possible pathway to salvation?

If reactions to Pope Francis’ statements are any indication, the answer is unreservedly “yes.” Criticism from Catholic clergy and publications – mostly conservative and historically at odds the pontiff – was delivered with an iron fist in a velvet glove. Texas bishop Joseph Strickland asked the faithful to pray for Francis. The pope should “clearly state that Jesus Christ is the only Way,” Strickland wrote. “To deny this is to deny Him. If we deny Christ, He will deny us, He cannot deny Himself.” Catholic priest and broadcaster Fr. Calvin Robinson was more direct, writing, “The Scriptures teach us the opposite. The gate to heaven is narrow.” And a Christian publication concluded, “The false doctrine which Francis proclaimed has been around for centuries … Pray for Pope Francis to repent of his false teaching and come to know the true Gospel.”

Many faithful, Catholic and Protestant alike, were not nearly as measured on social media.

·       “As a Catholic I openly say this is a heretic Pope we have, no two ways about it. He has denied Jesus and his teachings.”

·       “The Roman Catholic Church is an abomination invented by an emperor. A complete bastardization.”

·       “The pope needs to read the Bible. All of his heresies are debunked in the Holy Word of God.”

·       “I’ve always known this pope to be corrupt.”

·       “The default condition of mankind is condemnation. There is no need for us to add to it.”

·       “The Pope is misleading too many. Jesus will hold him accountable.”

Many of these comments prompted me to recall the many New Testament stories of the Pharisees adhering to the strict letter of the Law. The Gospels, however, are rich with stories of Jesus infusing God’s infinite love and mercy into the Law. Examples include the woman caught in the act of adultery, the apostles “harvesting” grain to eat on the sabbath, and the many instances of healing. In each of these examples, Jesus violated Jewish law. But He used these examples to show that man does not exist to benefit the law, but the law exists for the benefit of man.

Still, I am not so arrogant to believe I know and understand the mind of God. When I face an especially difficult issue, I usually defer to my favorite parable – the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-16). In it, the landowner pays the same wage to those who worked just one hour as those who worked 12 hours.

The most common interpretation of this parable is that a deathbed conversion by a person with a lifetime of sins will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus – the same reward awaiting a person who’s been faithful for an entire lifetime. The key is accepting Jesus. I believe this with my entire being.

Yet…

I see an additional interpretation here.

Just like the workers who showed up at dawn, Jesus gave me my requirements for my eternal reward – believe in Him, and work for Him. The deal he makes with others – their requirements for eternal life with him in heaven – is simply not my concern. “Take what is yours and go,” says landowner/Jesus. “What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states emphatically and unequivocally that Jesus Christ is

the mediator of the world, the only way of salvation (846). Yet, it recognizes its most important dogma can not and should not be used to limit the power and the reach of Almighty God.

“This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation” (847).

None of us have any idea how and when Jesus will enter into this equation. That’s not for us to know. It is not for us to put limits on God’s grace by refusing to recognize He can reach these people in His own way and in His own time. He will bestow His grace to anyone He wishes. That’s all I need to know. That, and to be thankful for blessing me with His grace during my own time on earth.