morning, just got up and running before the sea, I accidentally came across a thought of the Indian Jesuit Father Anthony de Mello (1931-1987): "Religion is not a matter of ritual or academic studies. It is a type of worship or to perform good deeds. Religion is to eradicate the impurities of the heart. This is the way to go to meet God "That's right: religion can be a purely external event which does not alter the bleak inner framework. No real change, no clean-up of thoughts, no change of heart, but outwardly, ritual, folding screen that hides all sorts of moral and spiritual deficiency. Those that de Mello called "good deeds" can also convey outside our selfishness, so do a good deed to gratify my ego rather than for true love of my neighbor. Worse still would do a good deed for the love of God and not man, whom God has wished to be identified.
And what about some theology (the "academic studies") that explores the unfathomable mystery of God, the waters and confuse the Gospel in transforming philosophical text? Better understanding of the Gospel does not mean an act or an intellectual effort, but the adoption of another way of life: to be small because only small, the humble, the forgotten people have access to the depths of the mystery of God is God himself who shows its young without human mediation. Access to the heart of the Father of the poor is denied to the learned and the wise. Said Christ: "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes" (Mt 11, 25-30). Who are the "small"? Someone who claims to be his disciples. Maybe, although she prefers to think of the humble shepherds who went to the grotto of Bethlehem, to the three shepherd children in Fatima, Bernadette Soubirous, to the Indian Juan Diego, to whom Our Lady appeared at Guadalupe, Mexico, Saint Francis 'Assisi. Poverty in the literal sense, simplicity, lack of assets to which stick, renunciation and detachment from the safety of money and power to adhere to the riches of Christ.
We must be sincere. Telling the truth is never a sin, indeed. There is a part of the Church as an institution with the power that chirps. There were and there are examples in the Catholic Church not to follow. The relentlessness of the moral principles taught to the faithful is not always matched by a morally exemplary behavior on the part of many adherents to the Catholic Church, in the case of prelates, priests, nuns or laity simple. Carry on their shoulders a heavy burden of responsibility to the world in which we would have to reveal Christ in His omnipotence of love and salvation. His Holiness Benedict XVI has accepted, in truth and in no uncertain terms, that the worst danger for the Church comes from the inside by the sin of its members. It is a statement of strong impact and multiple perspectives, to be followed by acts of consequential damages. This Pope is not weak, is facing with courage and firmness many nodes have come home to roost, and will do the best of his ability.
is a phase of catharsis and conversion of hearts. It is a mild season, painful, but necessary. God will bring good from evil. Each of us is asked to cooperate in this moral and spiritual renewal, starting from myself, from his actions, by their own ideas, which should be re-oriented. Transfer funds to rehabilitate and be less unworthy of Him who gave His life for us. It is the task for this summer. See you in September! Salvatore Bernocco
Copyright 2010 Yeast, July-August 2010
0 comments:
Post a Comment