Universal communion and globalization

WE need to have a good understanding of the distinction

between the two. Both are actually good and important to us, but we

have to know what each is, what each involves and requires, etc., so

that we can proceed with our life hopefully smoothly and reach our

ultimate goal.

  

            Both actually presume that all of us belong to one family,

since in spite of all our differences, we share the same human nature.

And yet acknowledging such common foundation is not enough, since a

lot more are implied about what our human nature actually entails.

             We need to understand that human nature is not simply

tackled by the science of anthropology. That only studies the human

biological and physiological characteristics and their evolution, in

its micro level. Or in its macro level, it studies human societies and

cultures and their development.

  

            That science definitely does not cover the spiritual

aspect of man that includes his supernatural goal. Neither is human

nature adequately tackled by philosophies and ideologies, although all

of them can have something valid to say.

  

            It is faith, with all its complements, that gives us the

complete picture of our human nature that can serve as basis for any

effort to attain some kind of universal communion and globalization

among ourselves.

  

            We have to understand universal communion as the ultimate

goal common to all of us as one family and one people. But it has to

be understood with faith as its guiding principle, because after all,

we are all creatures of God, we are all children of his, constituted

into one family and one people.

             It corresponds to what Christ himself said in his priestly

prayer just before his passion, death and resurrection. “That they may

all be one,” he said, “even as you, Father, are in me and I in you,

that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you

sent me.” (Jn 17,21)

  

            This unity is not simply a matter of biology or politics

or economics. It is a unity, or better said, a communion, based on our

identification with Christ. It is a communion of mind and heart—“cor

unum et anima mea,” of one heart and one soul, as the Acts of the

Apostles put it. (4,32)

  

            In concrete terms, this communion is pursued when we keep

one faith, one set of sacraments, and one hierarchy to which we submit

ourselves. Obviously, this communion is achieved mainly through

spiritual and supernatural means—prayer, sacrifice, ascetical

struggle, etc.

             Globalization, on the other hand, is any effort to make

worldwide a certain product, operation, technology, etc. It, of

course, has a legitimate purpose, and it can coincide at least in some

aspects with the effort to achieve universal communion among

ourselves.

  

            But we have to be aware of its mainly human and worldly

principles that could work together but never fully coincide with the

principles and means to achieve our universal communion.

  

            We also have to be aware of ideologically motivated

efforts at globalization, whether of the right or of the left, that

may seek to replace principles, means and purposes of our universal

communion in God and among ourselves.