Homily of Bishop Paul Hinder: "Do not be afraid, only have faith!"

06 February 2020 (Abu Dhabi). 

On the evening of 05 February 2020 at 7.00 pm, an open air mass was held at St. Joseph's Cathedral to commemorate the UAE Papal Visit. 

Here is the homily given by Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar during the mass: 

Yesterday we heard twice in the gospel about faith. First, the woman who suffered from a haemorrhage was told:  “My daughter, your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.” And when the people told the synagogue official, named Jairus, that it was useless to bring Jesus to the house because his daughter was already dead, Jesus told him:  “Do not be afraid; only have faith.” The gospel we heard today shows us the opposite, i.e. people who did not accept him as the powerful prophet and even less as the Son of God. At the end the evangelist simply says: “He (Jesus) was amazed at their lack of faith.”

The story taken from the second book of Samuel is also a question of “lack of faith”. The population census David had arranged was a manifestation of pride and of lack of faith.  Manifestation of pride, because he wanted to boast about his war achievements. Lack of faith because he wanted to build his kingdom on military power rather than on the power of God. Is it not happening all the time that we too want human guarantees we can calculate and evaluate in statistics instead of putting our full trust in God?

Today a year ago pope Francis celebrated the holy Mass in our midst. It was a big event not only for us Catholics, but for all Christians and for the whole country. It was an event that struck many people. We all enjoyed the generosity, the efficiency and the good will of the government of Abu Dhabi and the whole UAE to which we are grateful. The question we have to ask ourselves at the distance of twelve months: Has the visit of Pope Francis truly be an occasion to deepen our faith and to renew our commitment, or was it only an event to boast, because the Pope has honoured us with his presence?

Are we boasting with the big numbers like David did, or are we humble like the woman in yesterday’s gospel who touched the Lord from behind? Were some of us angry because they did not get the opportunity to see the Pope at close range and shake hands with him, or were they simply happy that the successor of Saint Peter came to strengthen our faith? Basically, he wanted to tell us what Jesus told to Jairus yesterday:  “Do not be afraid, only have faith.” I know that Pope Francis was deeply impressed about the way he was received in this country and by the faithful at the stadium. At the difference of Jesus in today’s gospel he had no reason to be amazed about the lack of faith among us.

However, this does not dispense us from the question if we took at heart what he came to tell us. How many have read and studied the document he signed about “Human Fraternity”? Who has gone afterward through his homily again? I just want to quote a longer paragraph from it:

  “Dear brothers and sisters, I want to tell you that living out the Beatitudes does not require dramatic gestures.  Look at Jesus: he left nothing written, built nothing imposing.  And when he told us how to live, he did not ask us to build great works or draw attention to ourselves with extraordinary gestures.  He asked us to produce just one work of art, possible for everyone: our own life.  The Beatitudes are thus a roadmap for our life: they do not require superhuman actions, but rather the imitation of Jesus in our everyday life.  They invite us to keep our hearts pure, to practice meekness and justice despite everything, to be merciful to all, to live affliction in union with God.  This is the holiness of daily life, one that has no need of miracles or of extraordinary signs.  The Beatitudes are not for supermen, but for those who face up to the challenges and trials of each day.  Those who live out the Beatitudes according to Jesus are able to cleanse the world.  They are like a tree that even in the wasteland absorbs polluted air each day and gives back oxygen.  It is my hope that you will be like this, rooted in Jesus and ready to do good to those around you.  May your communities be oases of peace.”

The previous evening, on February 4, 2019, Pope Francis gave a speech as a kind of comment to the Document on Human Fraternity. In it he said:  “The point of departure is the recognition that God is at the origin of the one human family. He who is the Creator of all things and of all persons wants us to live as brothers and sisters, dwelling in the common home of creation which he has given us. Fraternity is established here at the roots of our common humanity, as “a vocation contained in God’s plan of creation”. This tells us that all persons have equal dignity and that no one can be a master or slave of others. 
We cannot honour the Creator without cherishing the sacredness of every person and of every human life: each person is equally precious in the eyes of God, who does not look upon the human family with a preferential gaze that excludes, but with a benevolent gaze that includes. Thus, to recognize the same rights for every human being is to glorify the name of God on earth. In the name of God the Creator, therefore, every form of violence must be condemned without hesitation, because we gravely profane God’s name when we use it to justify hatred and violence against a brother or sister. No violence can be justified in the name of religion.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, we look back to the papal visit in gratitude. Even more important is our commitment to the message Pape Francis has given us, to keep in mind and heart the word of Jesus:  “Do not be afraid; only have faith.”