Why has the world come to this situation?

Mar 16, 2018

By Joseph Raj
“Have you ever been wounded — physically, emotionally, psychologically?” asked Fr Fabian Dicom. “Then, get in touch with the wound. How did you get healed? Did someone help you? Do you remember when you helped someone heal?”

“In Genesis, God created everything and he saw that it was good. What is good? What does ‘good’ mean? Today, what can we do in order to get that good?

“We don’t want corruption, no war, no greed, no slavery, no sickness, no poverty, no hunger. Remove the word “NO” and what is left will be the wounds of the world.

“God is our Creator. God is our Father. We were created in his image. That makes every single person brothers and sisters. That’s the challenge. Let us start with me. Ask the man in the mirror, ‘How do we do it?’”

Fr Fabian spoke on the five dimensions of the Penang Diocesan Lenten Campaign 2018 to heal the world and make it a better place:

1. Uphold human dignity. Human life is sacred and is the foundation of a moral vision for society. We can have a healthy community only if human dignity/rights are protected and responsibilities are met. We should stop labelling others. In Proverbs 31: 8-9, we are called to speak on behalf of the dumb, the deaf and defend the needy and the poor.
There are two types of languages — the language of love and the language that kills. Do we have to comment on the way others look? Let us not forget the tradition of the Church. We all struggle with indifference. Keep in mind the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Discrimination can be found everywhere, even in the Church.

2. Embrace the poor. When we encounter the poor, we should not do so from a position of superiority. We should always put the poor first. We cannot use the poor for our publicity. The biggest obstacle preventing us from embracing the poor is fear.

3. Love our families. Parents have to be the greatest influence on their children, not the youth groups or others.

4. Promote social justice. We have to do a bit of advocacy here.

5. Save the environment. Care for creation. That bounty in green is for everyone. The poor are very vulnerable to climate change and they suffer more.

The poor, family, social justice and the environment affect us all. Our focus has to be on people, not on buildings. Fr Fabian concluded his session with a call to pray for hope and strength.