Every human being is unique, and we all see life from different perspectives. That an idea is different from mine does not mean ipso facto, that it is wrong. Perhaps, we might fall into the question of foundational ideas of truth.
Without digging further into this epistemological problem, we, as Christians, have foundational ideas on which truth lies or as I should say, are true in themselves, namely, the Gospel. Connected to this truth is the mission of Christ entrusted to his Church. Therefore, the truthfulness of an idea depends on how it corresponds to the salvific mission of Christ and the Church. Hence, canon law says that the salvation of souls must always be the supreme law of the Church (cf. Can. 1752).
There are many instances in the gospel where the teachings of Jesus did not correspond with the known teachings. However, there are two instances where Jesus had a different view that was directly related to his person rather than to his teachings – the healing of the haemorrhaging woman and the raising of the dead of Jairus’ daughter.
First, many people were pressing on Jesus when a woman with the flow of blood touched his cloth and got her healing. Jesus asked: Who touched me? His disciples said to him – “You see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, ‘Who touched me”. Were the disciples wrong? Was the different perception of Jesus wrong?
In the second miracle, Jesus went into the room where people were weeping for the dead child and said – “This child is not dead but asleep”. The statement was odd and appeared stupid to the people and they laughed at him (cf. Mark 5:21-43). Were the people wrong in believing that the child was dead? Was Jesus wrong in saying that the child was sleeping?
My dear brothers, we say that uche onye adighị ya njọ. Every idea is important because it either confirms a right idea, introduces a new perspective to things, or restates an idea that has been confirmed as wrong. For our beloved diocese to continue moving in the right direction, we need to realise that a different idea from ours is not simply wrong because it is different. Nevertheless, it can be wrong if it falls short when weighed on the scale of the gospel and the salvific mission of Christ and the Church. What if it was our idea that was wrong?
Disagreeing on another idea or being indifferent to a different idea is not a sin. Human nature is not always quick to change. Most innovative and reformist ideas were first criticised, mocked and attacked at the beginning. Yet, over time, people gradually accepted, albeit grudgingly, that it was their idea that was even wrong. Naaman first disparaged the suggestion of Elisha to bathe in the Jordan simply because it differed from what he expected. However, he only got his healing when he bathed in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:8-15).
May God continue to bless our beloved diocese.🙏🏾
K’ọdị🙋🏾♂️
