By Paul Alappat –
Recent allegations in media against the church, clergy and also the attack on the Holy Sacraments are alarming for the entire Christian community. Mainstream and broadcast media appear to give undue importance to any allegations against the church or clergy. All these point to a hidden agenda to tarnish the image of the church. The recent attack on the Missionaries of Charity is a classic example of how eager everybody is out to blemish the church.
The shouting matches and live TV debates on issues relating to Christian institutions, individuals or faith start immediately after an allegation surfaces. Media verdict on the individual facing the allegations is an infringement on the rights of an individual to prove his or her innocence. Even when there is a criminal case against an individual, the person to be considered innocent unless proved otherwise.
There are aberrations in all systems. No organization is perfect. I wonder why the media ignores the aberrations in other establishments and choose to hunt down Christians and tarnish the good services provided by the community.
I totally agree that people who have committed crime need to be severely punished. Having said that, however, the police and judicial system need to be given adequate space and time to bring out the truth. Our country has a judicial system and it is not the job of the media to conduct a trial to see who is right and who is wrong. Media should not influence the judicial system with their enthusiastic verdicts on issues relating to church or any other system.
The media conveniently chooses to ignore exemplary services provided by Christians in nation building in various fields; and also the efforts being done to bring peace and harmony between all religions and different communities. It is unfair to focus on recent aberrations and tarnish the entire system in one brush, thereby ignoring the commendable work done by the community.
We remember late Rev. Fr. Benedict who was accused of a murder and spent several years in prison. He knew the criminals who committed the murder, but chose not reveal it to the court or anyone else. He had heard it in a confession and he would not have revealed it to anyone even if he had to die for it. The truth came out to the world when the murderer’s family revealed it a few years before Fr. Benedict passed away. They revealed it because they had no peace and the entire family went through hard times; they apologized to Fr. Benedict and sought his forgiveness. No priest would ever reveal a confession secret to any other person even if he goes insane. There is a divine protection in this regard.
We cannot judge a tree by two or three spoilt fruits fallen from it. We need to taste the good ones before we judge it. Try not to judge the church without understanding the good it does to the entire humanity.
The recent allegations warn us to ‘Get ready for a Spiritual Revolution’. When we hear allegations, however minor it may be, we need to search deeply to see if we need to change. The clergy, religious, lay ministers and the entire church need to get closer to Jesus. Let us imitate His compassion and care towards poor and the needy. Let us reconsider our spiritual status and strive for perfection; then the aberrations will have no place in our lives and in the church.
No one can destroy the Church which is built on the rock Jesus Christ. We don’t need to worry much about the survival of the church. It has gone through various trials and tribulations over the years and it has survived. The current turmoil will only strengthen the church and unite the Christians. All we need to do is to imitate the attitude of Jesus in our lives and prune ourselves spiritually.