MINISTER’S NOTE 5 FEBRUARY 2023
Have you ever wondered how your worship on Sunday
affects how you see and deal with matters of
life in the world, whether it is the economics, politics,
social values or personal decisions? Are the sacraments,
prayers, scriptures and hymns and songs, the
lens through which you see the world, carrying them
with you through the rest of the week? If these things
do not inform and guide our actions in the world,
they are merely self-serving to make us feel better
about ourselves.
Archbishop Helder Câmara of Brazil is known to
have said: “When I give food to the poor, they call
me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call
me a communist.” The Archbishop’s words speak to
the alignment of our actions with what we believe
about God and the contradictions that may be
there in our lives. Injustice and inequality are things
that are important and matter to God. In our response,
we usually make donations to good causes.
This is one way of expressing love to a neighbour
and it is commendable. However, it doesn’t end
there. We have to ask why injustices and inequalities
exist. We have to look at ourselves and consider the
ways in which our lifestyles, decisions, opinions, and
actions serve as enablers and perpetuators of those
conditions in the life of another.
May our lifestyles and work in the world be an expression
of our faith, be congruent to our worship
and give glory to the God of justice.
Every blessing,
Vuyelwa.