The four foundations for unity

I’m writing this piece at the end of the week which began calmly enough on Sunday the January 19 and ended calmly on Saturday January 25. The five days in between gave us the wildest weather storm ever recorded in Ireland. One of my priest friends from Cork proudly sent me an image of the entire map of Ireland covered in status red. He declared that at last the rebels had taken over the country!

And of course, in a sense they had because now we have a Cork Taoiseach once again. It was difficult to avoid the juxtaposition of what was happening with the weather and what was happening politically both here in Ireland and internationally with the inauguration of President Trump for his second term.

Both Micheál and Donald had stormy beginnings last week. As a self-confessed political junkie, I was glued to what was happening both in Washington and Dail Eireann and what a week for junkies. Much of the commentary in Ireland was around the lack of women appointed to senior cabinet posts.

Eclipsed

Across the pond a woman not appointed to Donald’s cabinet took centre stage and at least for a little while eclipsed the new president in terms of international media coverage. The Episcopalian (Anglican) Bishop of Washington, Mariann Budde was, as per tradition, hosting an inter-faith prayer service on the day after the inauguration of the new president.

The president, his entire family, his cabinet and the members of congress were in attendance. Being the host, Bishop Budde was the preacher. While it is the final paragraph of the sermon which has gained most attention, the entire address was brilliant and entirely appropriate for the beginning of any new government’s term.

The bishop chose unity as her theme and at the beginning set out her understanding of unity as; “a way of being with one another – it encompasses and respects our differences that teaches us to hold multiple perspectives and life experiences as valid and worthy of respect.” I can’t do justice to the bishop’s homily here, so I suggest you search for the full text.

Reality

She proposed that there are at least four foundations that need to be in place for unity to become a reality. The bishop was talking about unity in the context of a country or society, but I think what she says could also apply to a family, a community, a church or indeed a group of churches seeking to come closer together.

1. The first foundation for unity is honouring the inherent dignity of every human being
2. The second foundation for unity is honesty – in both private conversation and public discourse
3. The third foundation for unity, is humility which we all need because we are all fallible human beings.
4. The fourth foundation and the one that incurred the wrath of the new president, and his supporters was mercy. I’ll quote part of what she said which caused so much anger and prompted Mr Trump to call her ‘nasty’

“Let me make one final plea. Mr President.

Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared. And we’re scared now………….

…….Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honour the dignity of every human being; to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God. For the good of all people in this nation and the world.”

How to get a refund

After Mass one member of the congregation had lingered after the other members had shaken hands with the priest on their way out. The priest recognised the young man as one whom he had married a couple of months before.

As the young man shook hands with the priest, he asked, “Father, do you believe someone should profit from the mistakes of others?” “Certainly not,” replied the priest. “Well…in that case…could I have the €200 back that I gave you for marrying me?

A separate thought

I was intrigued that on the morning of his inauguration the president-elect, his entire family and the political establishment went to a church service before the day’s proceedings began. Then on the day after the inauguration there was the interfaith prayer service spoken of in the main article here.

As far as I could see the only religious aspect attached to the inauguration of our new Taoiseach and government was a cursory prayer delivered at great speed by the Ceann Comhairle as she began the session. Do our politicians need God less?