Dignity in Diversity

As part of Cardinal Charles Maung Bos visit to the UK, he preached during Mass at Westminster Cathedral. Reproduced below, with his permission, is an extract of his inspiring, yet challenging message…

“Today [in Burma] democracy has its dawn. Myanmar is an island of hope in a world that has chosen bloodshed. A fragile women will hold not only power in her hands, but the dreams of the millions for a better tomorrow. I am here on a mission to the UK, on a mission to talk about our people, especially those who are excluded.

To be a Christian today is not an easy task.

The message of Christ is challenging to the status quo. The simple message of love shook the foundations of evil those days. The rst Christians ended up as martyrs. Today in 54 countries Christians live under threat to their life and dignity. I belong to a church that underwent its own quota of suffering during the dictatorship. I wish to pray for all those who are persecuted for their religion. More than ever, we are called upon to bear witnesses, as Paul was instructed by the Lord.

Man and woman, says the Bible, are created in
the image of God. The apostle Paul will say that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The worth of human beings is infinite according to the Christian tradition. Christianity’s contribution to this world is this extraordinary perception of human dignity. Unity of the human family, dignity in diversity.

These are the messages for the modern world.

My country was taken through five decades of Calvary by evil men. Everyone thought this was
a country without an Easter. You have witnessed from afar the suffering of this nation. Our Calvary was marked by enforced starvation, denial of education to the youth, arrest and incarceration of thousands for asking for basic rights, death and disappearance of thousands. The Catholic Church was singled out for persecution. Overnight the missionaries serving the poor and the vulnerable were expelled. Land, schools and medical institutions were confiscated. It was not the church that was victimised but it was the poor of the country those were victimised. Thousands were left without skills to survive life. Nearly a million become refugees and IDPs.

Yet God did not abandon our nation. The church was like a mustard seed but like the Biblical example it grow into a tree. We were like the persecuted first Christians. The odds were against them. Yet Paul could cry out: What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us! (Rom 8:31-32). In history persecuted churches know the presence
of God intensely. It was our grace to be wounded that our healer was God. Amidst one of the most suffocating oppressions, church grew. From just three dioceses we are grew into 16 dioceses. From 100,000 people we are now 700,000 faithful, from 160 priests we are now 700 priests, from 300 religious we are now more than 2,200.

God walked with us in our way of the Cross ensuring that our Easter was enriched in faith. We are a con dent and growing church in south East Asia.

We are not yet totally free, but we have proved that we cannot be pruned from history.”