Beyond multiculturalism — others can be saved, but only through the merits of Jesus Christ

Fifth Sunday in Easter, May 22, 2011
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: John 14:1-12 “No one comes to the Father, but by me.”

Full homily text: I remember as children in art class that each year we would make pottery. Each of us would be given clay-like substance that was almost like “play dough.” The teacher would take the clay mold into these beautiful images: a vase, or a mug. I would think to myself, “Wow this is going to be great!” I would then take the clay and work with it, but it never seemed to go as I planned. It didn’t look as nice as the teachers or even many of my classmates.

Fr. Joseph Eddy is the vocation director of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, founded to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger. The Order’s student house in the U.S. is in Philadelphia.

Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph’s Facebook page, or the website of the .

Then, the clay would be put into the fire and we would eagerly await the next class when we would receive our finished project. Well, let me tell you that it wasn’t what I hoped for. That mug was odd-shaped and just plain ugly. But, I would take it to my dad and he would cherish it. Yet, even to this day we joke about my lack of artistic talent and that ugly mug.

You, Lord, are the potter

In Isaiah (64:8-12) Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands. These touching words express some of the compassion that Jesus is showing to His disciples in the Gospel today. Our God is a compassionate and loving Father, whose house contains “many dwelling places.” In our culture today it is easy for us to realize that the Father’s house is made up of many different types of people. The United States has always been known as a melting pot of different races, cultures, and beliefs.

But more and more our world itself is becoming a “melting pot.” Technology, travel and many other factors have brought us together as a human family. Most of us know or have friends whose culture or beliefs differ greatly from our own. The common theme in our world and especially in higher education is to promote multiculturalism and pluralism. We focus on what we hold in common and respect the differences that we have. This sort of desire to co-exist with others and work together in harmony is certainly noble. Jesus himself advocated a love for our neighbor that goes beyond all differences and even the wrongs that others have committed against us.

We cannot compromise our beliefs

However, one problem with the push for tolerance and multiculturalism can be a tendency to minimize legitimate differences of belief or even, sadly, compromise one’s own beliefs. As priests, we often experience this when Catholics say, “well, Father all churches are the same.”  Or they may believe that every religion (Islam or Catholicism or Hinduism) is an equally good path to heaven. These people may even quote the passage from the gospel today, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.”

It seems to many people that this is a legitimate worldview. After all, God is all loving and these people seem to sincerely be seeking him (even more then some Catholics). However, it could be argued that in these cases we are trying to mold God into what we want him to be. For the sake of tolerance, we compromise our beliefs and others. Religions that have vastly different views on God cannot be said to be worshiping the same God. It would be insulting to a Muslim to call Allah the same as our God whom we call Father!

God is not equally present in all faiths

Although many people of good will believe that God is equally present in all faiths, this is not the teaching of Jesus himself. Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel that He is the “way and the truth and the life” “No one comes to the Father except through… (Him).” Jesus is uncompromising in his demands for us to love all people, even our enemies. However, he is also uncompromising in his profession that he is the only “way,” the only “truth,” and the only “life.” It would be a major error to see Jesus and his body the Church as an equal path or way with Islam or Hinduism or any other religion. Christians must believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” If anyone else is going to achieve salvation they will do so through Jesus.  Jesus is as St. Paul speaks about in the second reading, the “cornerstone.”  Our faith is based on Jesus and his teachings. To remove Jesus or compromise his teachings would be to make our foundation weak and susceptible to crumbling. We would be acting as the potter instead of allowing God to mold us through the teachings our savior Jesus Christ.

So what of all those whom we know to be decent human beings of another faith? Well, we recognize that they may be sincere in their beliefs. The Church recognizes that all faiths including Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism have some elements of truth. God in his mercy has led some to true wisdom through these religions. Yet, this doesn’t mean that Jesus and his body the Church do not possess the fullness of truth. Jesus says it himself in the Gospel today. The Father loves us so much that he gives us his Son to die for our sins and then the Holy Spirit to dwell with us always in the Church.

Others obtain salvation, but through Jesus’ merits

A loving God would not leave his children to piece together their faith from various religions. The fullness and the Way are in Jesus Christ. Others can attain salvation through the merits of Jesus’ passion, death, and Resurrection even if they are outside the visible Church. These people are seeking God with a sincere heart. They may have a baptism of desire; since if they knew that the truth was in Jesus and the Church they would seek baptism.

So it is true that the human race is becoming closer and closer, but God is unchanging. As Catholic Christians we worship Jesus Christ who professes to be “the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus wishes to be the potter who molds us into his likeness each day. He wants us to be instruments that help others to realize that true freedom, peace, and joy come from following our savior, who died for us. In this way, we truly love our neighbors and desire what is really best for them.  True love means wanting others to know Jesus and experience the freedom that he brings.