"Pray for me"

Within the span of a week three people asked me to pray for them and only one of them was a Christian. The other two were Muslims, one clearly so and the other having a Muslim name hailed at least from a Muslim family.

Such a request shows that the people in question knew who we are and indeed we never hid the fact that we are members of a religious community and three Catholic priests. It is a bit difficult to introduce ourselves without causing confusion, but I always start by saying that I am a member of a religious community belonging to the Catholic Church. When this comes across as rather vague - what is a religious community after all? - I add that we are three Catholic priests living together here in Aston. For most people this suffices as an initial introduction and they leave it at that.

The request for prayer is directed to me being a priest. The idea, which I sense behind it, is that priests are supposed to be mediators between God and the people. They have to bring God to the people and the people to God. It is not enough just to talk about God, they have to approach God and bring the people along with all their needs and concerns. That is their task and those who asked me to pray for them believe somehow that that task is God-given.

The remarkable thing about it is that two of them crossed religious boundaries. Apparently they believe that God is present not just in their own religion but in other religions as well. It is the same God who is acknowledged and worshipped in all religions. Right or wrong, false or true does not come first. There is something deeper, beyond the differences, and that is the one God who is all in all.

I'm not surprised that feelings like this occur in a multifaith community like Aston. When neighbours of different religions get to know each other, when they experience each other as good, responsible and caring people, they cannot possibly deny God's presence in the other. For God is goodness and the source of all goodness.

What it needs and that is the challenge we in the Cordate community face, is to bring people in contact with one another and let them experience that goodness that knows no boundaries.

Ton