Questions of Jesus’ identity are front and center in this Sunday’s gospel. The identity of Tibet has been in dispute since China invaded the once autonomous spiritual kingdom of Tibet in the 1950s and forced its leader, the Dalai Lama, to flee. This week China celebrated the 50th anniversary of its renaming of the region as the “Tibet Autonomous Region” with a rallying cry against its exiled spiritual leader. Chinese officials stressed the party line that the Dalai Lama is a dangerous separatist encouraging violence. The Dalai Lama, now based in India and revered worldwide, says he is only seeking greater spiritual and cultural protections and freedom for his Himalayan homeland.

Homily hint: What happens in Tibet may be remote geographically, but when long-held spiritual traditions are upended by force anywhere in the world, believers of all faith traditions need to be concerned. Pray—and lobby—for religious accommodation and tolerance wherever they are forcibly suppressed.

For more on China marking 50 years of rule in Tibet, see: China slams Dalai Lama as it marks 50 years ruling Tibet