Religion, "laïcité positive" and "secularism"

Today's Gospel Reading (Luke 7:1-10)

When he had come to the end of all he wanted the people to hear, 
he went into Capernaum. A centurion there had a servant, a favourite 
of his, who was sick and near death. Having heard about Jesus he sent 
some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and heal his servant. 
When they came to Jesus they pleaded earnestly with him saying, 
'He deserves this of you, because he is well disposed towards our people;
he built us our synagogue himself.' So Jesus went with them, and was 
not very far from the house when the centurion sent word to him by 
some friends to say to him, 'Sir, do not put yourself to any trouble 
because I am not worthy to have you under my roof; and that is why I
did not presume to come to you myself; let my boy be cured by your 
giving the word. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers 
under me; and I say to one man, "Go," and he goes; to another, "Come 
here," and he comes; to my servant, "Do this," and he does it.' When
Jesus heard these words he was astonished at him and, turning round, 
said to the crowd following him, 'I tell you, not even in Israel have 
I found faith as great as this.' And when the messengers got back to 
the house they found the servant in perfect health.

Religion, "laïcité positive" and "secularism"

Today, this scene plunges us in a social atmosphere of
"endearing humanity": a centurion —a foreigner— is concerned about
one of his servants; he sends some elders of the Jews to plead with Jesus
to heal his servant who is seriously ill… There is an element that brings
them together: "he has built our synagogue". In their multifaceted
diversity (origin, culture, social position… even religion), they are united
by their respect to "religiosity".

"Laïcité positive" seeks a fair political autonomy: it avoids the
"confessional"State, but assumes the deep human fact of the religiosity
("secularism"rejects it). It is essential to insist on the distinction between
"politics" and"religion” to protect as much the religious freedom of all
citizens as the State responsibility for them. On the other hand, we
should become more aware of the irreplaceable role of religion for the
formation of consciences and the contribution which it can bring to
—among other things— the creation of a basic ethical consensus within
society.

—O Lord, we adore You and we pray to you for our authorities.