ON THE DANGER OF FANATICISM.

September 26, 2021
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – B.

READINGS: Nm 11:25-29; Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14; Jas 5:1-6; Mk9:38-43, 45, 47-48.

An Albanian proverb says: “If a man is right, he cannot be too radical; if wrong, he cannot be too conservative.” And a French proverb adds: “Too much zeal spoils everything.”

In religious as well as in social or political life, some people think detaining the whole truth. They think to have an exclusive right on everything. These one run the danger of fanaticism.

I tried to look for a quite fitting definition to fanaticism, and here is what I found: "Fanaticism (from the Latin adverb fānāticē [fānāticus; enthusiastic, ecstatic; raging, fanatical, furious]) is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal or an obsessive enthusiasm. The philosopher George Santayana defines fanaticism as "redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim". Every religious belief has its fanatic members, and some of them easily fall into radicalism leading to terrorize all who do not share their vision of things. Just as we speak of fanatism in Islam, so too, there is fanatism in Christianism and even in Catholicism.

The liturgy, today, tells us where fanaticism or extreme and uncontrol enthusiasm and zeal can lead man. It appears clearly that extremism is begotten in jealousy. In the book of Numbers, we read that Joshua, son of Nun asks Moses to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying because not being among those who were designated to receive the Spirit God took from Moses to bestow on the selected elders. The answer of Moses to the zealous Joshua, teaches us about this reality of fanaticism: "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!"

Fanaticism, as we said, finds its origin in jealousy. We cannot accept that others who do not belong to our groupuscule could savor the same privileges as we do. We will like to prevent them from doing so. And with that mindset, we open the gate to social, political, or religious violence. So, fanatic people double their jealousy with extremism and violence.

In the Gospel, we are faced with another expression of zeal. John, the intransigent and tempestuous Apostle reports to Jesus that they have seen a man performing miracles and wonders in the Lord's name. The problem is that the man was not a member of their cohort, he does not belong to the group. How can someone who does not belong to the group have the same prerogatives as those who belong to Jesus' closest friends? The modules of fanaticism are always the same. Just as it was with Joshua regarding Moses’ spirit, so too it is with John concerning preaching and healing in Jesus’ name. “They are not with us, so, they cannot do like us.” But Jesus raises a beautiful moral and social principle that can end all kinds of fanatic mentality. He said to the disciples: “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

When people are caught in the trap of fanaticism, they lose sight of the basis, truth, and love, fundamental elements of genuine discipleship. It calls for a clear judgment and a great sense of discernment to not raise war against others because they do not belong to the same group where we belong. Everyone cannot be of the same group. It is not a matter of party-list or cohort. We are not enemies simply because we do not share the same belongingness. Our differences can be riches. All we must do is to avoid the jealousy that leads to plot all kinds of evils against those who are not with us. We should not be an obstacle for others. And Jesus ends by giving some pieces of advice on social life and on being together. It is all about, how to live in harmony with others and not depriving them of their rights.

In the second reading, the Apostle James provides more advices and stern warnings. He directly addresses the rich and warns them: the Lord hears the cry of those you have cheated. Therefore, "start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you..." Some people have built their confidence in material possessions only. All that matters for them is what they possess. And for that, they can even deprive the poor one of the little they have and abuse their rights. James warns them, “Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire.” Riches are good, but if material possession and accumulation are all that matters for you and blinds you in a human relationship, you are worse than you think. For fanaticism (extremism) and the danger of material possession are two great poisons to human life.

Let's then finish our meditation with these callings from the Catechism. "Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion. Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible." This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger, or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values." CCC. 2286. We are urged to not be a channel of any kind of scandal, religious as well as social and moral. Love is what must prevail in all our relationships, either with others or with material goods.