To my fellow believers
(Baonghean) -Reading the message of “A brother in faith” in Nghe An Electronic Newspaper and Nghe An Daily Newspaper on September 11, 2013, I felt many emotions and truly sympathized with the responsible thoughts of my brother in faith.
My brother, do you know how much I used to look forward to Sunday every week, but these days I no longer feel that way. I am really confused and need to share. For many nights now, I have not been able to sleep, blaming myself for not being able to do anything about the anger of my beloved brothers in My Yen Parish to the point of being excessive, no longer hearing the words of God in the Letter of St. James, chapter 1, verses 19-20, which teaches: “Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for when people are angry, they do not practice the righteousness of God.”
It is unbelievable that a person who has been actively involved in charity work through the establishment of the Faith & Culture Group, the Mai Khoi charity clinic to support disabled children and HIV-AIDS patients, "allows" us, the devout sheep, to act in a destructive manner, keep people, and slander everyone, contrary to the Epistle of St. Peter, chapter 3, verse 9 "Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but on the contrary, bless, because you were called to receive a blessing". Dear Bishop and beloved brothers, where is our proud Catholic humility? We cannot repay evil with hatred, we cannot trample on the canons.
Where is the doctrine that the Apostles left to the future Catholics? We need to remember, in the Letter to the Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 to 4 it says, “Do nothing out of selfishness or vain conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Each of you should not seek your own interests, but the interests of others. In your relationship with one another, have the same mind as Christ Jesus.” As Catholics, reading the teachings of God and the Apostles, thinking about what happened in My Yen Parish in the past few days, a parishioner like me is depressed in spirit, in faith and afraid every Sunday.
My brother and I, as well as my brother in faith, are both deeply reminded of Saint Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, in the New Testament, chapter 4, verse 31, which advises, "Never be bitter, angry, angry, or shouting or slanderous, and put away all evil." And verse 32 mentions: "On the contrary, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you." Perhaps my brother and I are both imbued with that doctrine. We all pray that every evening our flocks will hear the church bells ringing peacefully, not the alarm bells of wartime, or the bells signaling a gathering to go and cause trouble, commit crimes, or betray the doctrine. Perhaps my fellow believers, like me, always pray every fresh morning to hear the church bell ringing, signaling a new day filled with love between all Catholics and non-Catholics.
Dear brothers and sisters in faith, let us pray to the good Lord to always bring peace!
Nguyen Minh - A friend of faith
