itness is not propaganda, it is not silence, but presence made up of respect for others and based on a sincere desire of understanding each other, writes Fr. Christian Van Nispen, S.J. who lives in Egypt. He writes on the theme: “Is it possible to witness Christ in the Muslim world?” in an article published on the May issue of “Missione Oggi” (“Mission Today”), the Italian-language monthly magazine of the Xaverian Missionaries.
In itself respect is a witness because it is based on recognition of the dignity of the person. However, to the extent we live our respective religions in an attitude of faith, we meet each other.
“To be real”, writes Fr. Van Nispen, “witness must be founded on deep and radical respect of others, the Muslims in our case. It is respect of persons and, thus, of their convictions of faith, of that which they hold most precious. In itself respect is a witness because it is based on recognition of the dignity of the person”. However, “to the extent we live our respective religions in an attitude of faith, we meet each other. If we live our religions as ideological systems, we do not encounter each other”.
The correct attitude for dialog is to express faith “far from any polemic”, making it possible to see “how this faith may move me to struggle insistently for humankind, every person of good will, by respecting differences and in the search of that which unites.” All this “cannot impede the heart of my Christian faith, the mystery of the suffering-death-resurrection of Jesus, to remain a stumbling stone”.
But my life and then my word can demonstrate that this conviction of faith is not for me a reason of polemics and of dislike of the other, concludes the Religious. “On the contrary, it is the origin of a love that is close and is the fountain of my love and my respect for the other and his otherness, it moves me to accept the difficulties of the our human experience and of our society, it makes me make myself small for the other and to love even the person who hates me.”
“I can, in this way, demonstrate”, concludes Fr. Van Nispen, “that the mystery of love crucified is for me the extreme manifestation of the greatness of God, a greatness that Islam wants to witness.
(From VID)