In my missal there is a note at the start of the section for 20th Sunday in Ordinary time (A). It reads: Mercy to all mankind. We tend to think of God as exclusively our own property. But he is God of all the world, of Christians and non-Christians alike; and today we celebrate his mercies to others who are not of our faith. The gospel for that Sunday is about the Canaanite woman that Jesus almost brushed off with a comment about giving the children's food to the house dogs. That Sunday my Parish Priest prayed for all people being persecuted for their faith - Christian or non-Christian. He made a similar prayer today, and I thought of this forum and the heat over Garabandal and other alleged visions. Some believe in them, some don't. But none of us serve the Lord it we persecute another because of their faith. My Parish Priest finished his sermon today by quoting for the movie "A Man for All Seasons": Norfolk: I'm not a scholar, as Master Cromwell never tires of pointing out, and frankly I don't know whether the marriage was lawful or not. But damn it, Thomas, look at those names... You know those men! Can't you do what I did, and come with us for friendship? More: And when we stand before God, and you are sent to Paradise for doing according to your conscience, and I am damned for not doing according to mine, will you come with me, for friendship? Cranmer: So those of us whose names are there are damned, Sir Thomas? More: I don't know, Your Grace. I have no window to look into another man's conscience. I condemn no one.
Great movie- and a great saint for our time. As I read St Thomas More's last line above, I couldn't help but think of what our Pope has said about "who was he to judge". I remember all the flak he took and yet dud he say anything different from this Thomas More, a canonized saint of our Church?
