CHAPTER TWO
50.
Before taking up some basic questions related to the work of evangelization, it
may be helpful to mention briefly the context in which we all have to live and
work. Today, we frequently hear of a “diagnostic overload” which is not always
accompanied by improved and actually applicable methods of treatment. Nor would
we be well served by a purely sociological analysis which would aim to embrace
all of reality by employing an allegedly neutral and clinical method. What I
would like to propose is something much more in the line of an evangelical
discernment. It is the approach of a missionary disciple, an approach
“nourished by the light and strength of the Holy Spirit”.[53]
51.
It is not the task of the Pope to offer a detailed and complete analysis of contemporary
reality, but I do exhort all the communities to an “ever watchful scrutiny of
the signs of the times”.[54] This
is in fact a grave responsibility, since certain present realities, unless
effectively dealt with, are capable of setting off processes of dehumanization
which would then be hard to reverse. We need to distinguish clearly what might
be a fruit of the kingdom from what runs counter to God’s plan. This involves
not only recognizing and discerning spirits, but also – and this is decisive –
choosing movements of the spirit of good and rejecting those of the spirit of
evil. I take for granted the different analyses which other documents of the
universal magisterium have offered, as well as those proposed by the regional
and national conferences of bishops. In this Exhortation I claim only to
consider briefly, and from a pastoral perspective, certain factors which can
restrain or weaken the impulse of missionary renewal in the Church, either
because they threaten the life and dignity of God’s people or because they
affect those who are directly involved in the Church’s institutions and in her
work of evangelization.
52.
In our time humanity is experiencing a turning-point in its history, as we can
see from the advances being made in so many fields. We can only praise the
steps being taken to improve people’s welfare in areas such as health care,
education and communications. At the same time we have to remember that the
majority of our contemporaries are barely living from day to day, with dire
consequences. A number of diseases are spreading. The hearts of many people are
gripped by fear and desperation, even in the so-called rich countries. The joy
of living frequently fades, lack of respect for others and violence are on the
rise, and inequality is increasingly evident. It is a struggle to live and,
often, to live with precious little dignity. This epochal change has been set
in motion by the enormous qualitative, quantitative, rapid and cumulative
advances occuring in the sciences and in technology, and by their instant
application in different areas of nature and of life. We are in an age of
knowledge and information, which has led to new and often anonymous kinds of
power.
53.
Just as the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” sets a clear limit in order to
safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say “thou shalt not”
to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be
that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure,
but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of
exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people
are starving? This is a case of inequality. Today everything comes under the
laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed
upon the powerless. As a consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded
and marginalized: without work, without possibilities, without any means of
escape.
Human
beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded.
We have created a “disposable” culture which is now spreading. It is no longer
simply about exploitation and oppression, but something new. Exclusion
ultimately has to do with what it means to be a part of the society in which we
live; those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its
disenfranchised – they are no longer even a part of it. The excluded are not
the “exploited” but the outcast, the “leftovers”.
54.
In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which
assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably
succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This
opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and
naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the
sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded
are still waiting. To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain
enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed.
Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling
compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and
feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s
responsibility and not our own. The culture of prosperity deadens us; we are
thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase; and in the meantime
all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they
fail to move us.
55.
One cause of this situation is found in our relationship with money, since we
calmly accept its dominion over ourselves and our societies. The current
financial crisis can make us overlook the fact that it originated in a profound
human crisis: the denial of the primacy of the human person! We have created
new idols. The worship of the ancient golden calf (cf. Ex 32:1-35)
has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the
dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose. The
worldwide crisis affecting finance and the economy lays bare their imbalances
and, above all, their lack of real concern for human beings; man is reduced to
one of his needs alone: consumption.
56.
While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap
separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This
imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the
marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of
states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of
control. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which
unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the
accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the
potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real
purchasing power. To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving
tax evasion, which have taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and
possessions knows no limits. In this system, which tends to devour everything
which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the
environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which
become the only rule.
57.
Behind this attitude lurks a rejection of ethics and a rejection of God. Ethics
has come to be viewed with a certain scornful derision. It is seen as
counterproductive, too human, because it makes money and power relative. It is
felt to be a threat, since it condemns the manipulation and debasement of the
person. In effect, ethics leads to a God who calls for a committed response
which is outside of the categories of the marketplace. When these latter are
absolutized, God can only be seen as uncontrollable, unmanageable, even
dangerous, since he calls human beings to their full realization and to freedom
from all forms of enslavement. Ethics – a non-ideological ethics – would make
it possible to bring about balance and a more humane social order. With this in
mind, I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words
of one of the sages of antiquity: “Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is
to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods
which we hold, but theirs”.[55]
58.
A financial reform open to such ethical considerations would require a vigorous
change of approach on the part of political leaders. I urge them to face this
challenge with determination and an eye to the future, while not ignoring, of course,
the specifics of each case. Money must serve, not rule! The Pope loves
everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to
remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you
to generous solidarity and a return of economics and finance to an ethical
approach which favours human beings.
59.
Today in many places we hear a call for greater security. But until exclusion
and inequality in society and between peoples is reversed, it will be
impossible to eliminate violence. The poor and the poorer peoples are accused
of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression
and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode.
When a society – whether local, national or global – is willing to leave a part
of itself on the fringes, no political programmes or resources spent on law
enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility.
This is not the case simply because inequality provokes a violent reaction from
those excluded from the system, but because the socioeconomic system is unjust
at its root. Just as goodness tends to spread, the toleration of evil, which is
injustice, tends to expand its baneful influence and quietly to undermine any
political and social system, no matter how solid it may appear. If every action
has its consequences, an evil embedded in the structures of a society has a
constant potential for disintegration and death. It is evil crystallized in
unjust social structures, which cannot be the basis of hope for a better
future. We are far from the so-called “end of history”, since the conditions
for a sustainable and peaceful development have not yet been adequately
articulated and realized.
60.
Today’s economic mechanisms promote inordinate consumption, yet it is evident
that unbridled consumerism combined with inequality proves doubly damaging to
the social fabric. Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to
arms cannot and never will be able to resolve. This serves only to offer false
hopes to those clamouring for heightened security, even though nowadays we know
that weapons and violence, rather than providing solutions, create new and more
serious conflicts. Some simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the
poorer countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted
generalizations, they claim that the solution is an “education” that would
tranquilize them, making them tame and harmless. All this becomes even more
exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the widespread and deeply
rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments, businesses
and institutions – whatever the political ideology of their leaders.
61.
We also evangelize when we attempt to confront the various challenges which can
arise.[56] On
occasion these may take the form of veritable attacks on religious freedom or
new persecutions directed against Christians; in some countries these have
reached alarming levels of hatred and violence. In many places, the problem is
more that of widespread indifference and relativism, linked to disillusionment
and the crisis of ideologies which has come about as a reaction to anything
which might appear totalitarian. This not only harms the Church but the fabric
of society as a whole. We should recognize how in a culture where each person
wants to be bearer of his or her own subjective truth, it becomes difficult for
citizens to devise a common plan which transcends individual gain and personal
ambitions.
62.
In the prevailing culture, priority is given to the outward, the immediate, the
visible, the quick, the superficial and the provisional. What is real gives way
to appearances. In many countries globalization has meant a hastened
deterioration of their own cultural roots and the invasion of ways of thinking
and acting proper to other cultures which are economically advanced but
ethically debilitated. This fact has been brought up by bishops from various
continents in different Synods. The African bishops, for example, taking up the
Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, pointed out years ago that
there have been frequent attempts to make the African countries “parts of a
machine, cogs on a gigantic wheel. This is often true also in the field of
social communications which, being run by centres mostly in the northern
hemisphere, do not always give due consideration to the priorities and problems
of such countries or respect their cultural make-up”.[57] By
the same token, the bishops of Asia “underlined the external influences being
brought to bear on Asian cultures. New patterns of behaviour are emerging as a
result of over-exposure to the mass media… As a result, the negative aspects of
the media and entertainment industries are threatening traditional values, and
in particular the sacredness of marriage and the stability of the family”.[58]
63.
The Catholic faith of many peoples is nowadays being challenged by the
proliferation of new religious movements, some of which tend to fundamentalism
while others seem to propose a spirituality without God. This is, on the one
hand, a human reaction to a materialistic, consumerist and individualistic
society, but it is also a means of exploiting the weaknesses of people living
in poverty and on the fringes of society, people who make ends meet amid great
human suffering and are looking for immediate solutions to their needs. These
religious movements, not without a certain shrewdness, come to fill, within a predominantly
individualistic culture, a vacuum left by secularist rationalism. We must
recognize that if part of our baptized people lack a sense of belonging to the
Church, this is also due to certain structures and the occasionally unwelcoming
atmosphere of some of our parishes and communities, or to a bureaucratic way of
dealing with problems, be they simple or complex, in the lives of our people.
In many places an administrative approach prevails over a pastoral approach, as
does a concentration on administering the sacraments apart from other forms of
evangelization.
64.
The process of secularization tends to reduce the faith and the Church to the
sphere of the private and personal. Furthermore, by completely rejecting the
transcendent, it has produced a growing deterioration of ethics, a weakening of
the sense of personal and collective sin, and a steady increase in relativism.
These have led to a general sense of disorientation, especially in the periods
of adolescence and young adulthood which are so vulnerable to change. As the
bishops of the United States of America have rightly pointed out, while the
Church insists on the existence of objective moral norms which are valid for
everyone, “there are those in our culture who portray this teaching as unjust,
that is, as opposed to basic human rights. Such claims usually follow from a
form of moral relativism that is joined, not without inconsistency, to a belief
in the absolute rights of individuals. In this view, the Church is perceived as
promoting a particular prejudice and as interfering with individual freedom”.[59] We
are living in an information-driven society which bombards us indiscriminately
with data – all treated as being of equal importance – and which leads to
remarkable superficiality in the area of moral discernment. In response, we
need to provide an education which teaches critical thinking and encourages the
development of mature moral values.
65.
Despite the tide of secularism which has swept our societies, in many countries
– even those where Christians are a minority – the Catholic Church is
considered a credible institution by public opinion, and trusted for her
solidarity and concern for those in greatest need. Again and again, the Church
has acted as a mediator in finding solutions to problems affecting peace,
social harmony, the land, the defence of life, human and civil rights, and so
forth. And how much good has been done by Catholic schools and universities
around the world! This is a good thing. Yet, we find it difficult to make
people see that when we raise other questions less palatable to public opinion,
we are doing so out of fidelity to precisely the same convictions about human
dignity and the common good.
66.
The family is experiencing a profound cultural crisis, as are all communities
and social bonds. In the case of the family, the weakening of these bonds is
particularly serious because the family is the fundamental cell of society,
where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one
another; it is also the place where parents pass on the faith to their
children. Marriage now tends to be viewed as a form of mere emotional
satisfaction that can be constructed in any way or modified at will. But the
indispensible contribution of marriage to society transcends the feelings and
momentary needs of the couple. As the French bishops have taught, it is not
born “of loving sentiment, ephemeral by definition, but from the depth of the
obligation assumed by the spouses who accept to enter a total communion of
life”.[60]
67.
The individualism of our postmodern and globalized era favours a lifestyle
which weakens the development and stability of personal relationships and
distorts family bonds. Pastoral activity needs to bring out more clearly the
fact that our relationship with the Father demands and encourages a communion
which heals, promotes and reinforces interpersonal bonds. In our world,
especially in some countries, different forms of war and conflict are
re-emerging, yet we Christians remain steadfast in our intention to respect
others, to heal wounds, to build bridges, to strengthen relationships and to
“bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2). Today too, various associations
for the defence of rights and the pursuit of noble goals are being founded.
This is a sign of the desire of many people to contribute to social and
cultural progress.
68.
The Christian substratum of certain peoples – most of all in the West – is a
living reality. Here we find, especially among the most needy, a moral
resource which preserves the values of an authentic Christian humanism. Seeing
reality with the eyes of faith, we cannot fail to acknowledge what the Holy
Spirit is sowing. It would show a lack of trust in his free and unstinting
activity to think that authentic Christian values are absent where great
numbers of people have received baptism and express their faith and solidarity
with others in a variety of ways. This means more than acknowledging occasional
“seeds of the word”, since it has to do with an authentic Christian faith which
has its own expressions and means of showing its relationship to the Church.
The immense importance of a culture marked by faith cannot be overlooked;
before the onslaught of contemporary secularism an evangelized culture, for all
its limits, has many more resources than the mere sum total of believers. An
evangelized popular culture contains values of faith and solidarity capable of
encouraging the development of a more just and believing society, and possesses
a particular wisdom which ought to be gratefully acknowledged.
69.
It is imperative to evangelize cultures in order to inculturate the Gospel. In
countries of Catholic tradition, this means encouraging, fostering and
reinforcing a richness which already exists. In countries of other religious
traditions, or profoundly secularized countries, it will mean sparking new
processes for evangelizing culture, even though these will demand long-term
planning. We must keep in mind, however, that we are constantly being called to
grow. Each culture and social group needs purification and growth. In the case
of the popular cultures of Catholic peoples, we can see deficiencies which need
to be healed by the Gospel: machismo, alcoholism, domestic violence, low Mass
attendance, fatalistic or superstitious notions which lead to sorcery, and the
like. Popular piety itself can be the starting point for healing and liberation
from these deficiencies.
70.
It is also true that at times greater emphasis is placed on the outward
expressions and traditions of some groups, or on alleged private revelations
which would replace all else, than on the impulse of Christian piety. There is
a kind of Christianity made up of devotions reflecting an individual and
sentimental faith life which does not in fact correspond to authentic “popular
piety”. Some people promote these expressions while not being in the least
concerned with the advancement of society or the formation of the laity, and in
certain cases they do so in order to obtain economic benefits or some power
over others. Nor can we overlook the fact that in recent decades there has been
a breakdown in the way Catholics pass down the Christian faith to the young. It
is undeniable that many people feel disillusioned and no longer identify with
the Catholic tradition. Growing numbers of parents do not bring their children
for baptism or teach them how to pray. There is also a certain exodus towards
other faith communities. The causes of this breakdown include: a lack of
opportunity for dialogue in families, the influence of the communications
media, a relativistic subjectivism, unbridled consumerism which feeds the
market, lack of pastoral care among the poor, the failure of our institutions
to be welcoming, and our difficulty in restoring a mystical adherence to the
faith in a pluralistic religious landscape.
71.
The new Jerusalem, the holy city (cf. Rev 21:2-4), is the goal
towards which all of humanity is moving. It is curious that God’s revelation
tells us that the fullness of humanity and of history is realized in a city. We
need to look at our cities with a contemplative gaze, a gaze of faith which
sees God dwelling in their homes, in their streets and squares. God’s presence
accompanies the sincere efforts of individuals and groups to find encouragement
and meaning in their lives. He dwells among them, fostering solidarity,
fraternity, and the desire for goodness, truth and justice. This presence must
not be contrived but found, uncovered. God does not hide himself from those who
seek him with a sincere heart, even though they do so tentatively, in a vague
and haphazard manner.
72.
In cities, as opposed to the countryside, the religious dimension of life is
expressed by different lifestyles, daily rhythms linked to places and people.
In their daily lives people must often struggle for survival and this struggle
contains within it a profound understanding of life which often includes a deep
religious sense. We must examine this more closely in order to enter into a
dialogue like that of our Lord and the Samaritan woman at the well where she
sought to quench her thirst (cf. Jn 4:1-15).
73.
New cultures are constantly being born in these vast new expanses where
Christians are no longer the customary interpreters or generators of meaning.
Instead, they themselves take from these cultures new languages, symbols,
messages and paradigms which propose new approaches to life, approaches often
in contrast with the Gospel of Jesus. A completely new culture has come to life
and continues to grow in the cities. The Synod noted that today the changes
taking place in these great spaces and the culture which they create are a privileged
locus of the new evangelization.[61] This
challenges us to imagine innovative spaces and possibilities for prayer and
communion which are more attractive and meaningful for city dwellers. Through
the influence of the media, rural areas are being affected by the same cultural
changes, which are significantly altering their way of life as well.
74.
What is called for is an evangelization capable of shedding light on these new
ways of relating to God, to others and to the world around us, and inspiring
essential values. It must reach the places where new narratives and paradigms
are being formed, bringing the word of Jesus to the inmost soul of our cities.
Cities are multicultural; in the larger cities, a connective network is found
in which groups of people share a common imagination and dreams about life, and
new human interactions arise, new cultures, invisible cities. Various
subcultures exist side by side, and often practise segregation and violence.
The Church is called to be at the service of a difficult dialogue. On the one
hand, there are people who have the means needed to develop their personal and
family lives, but there are also many “non-citizens”, “half citizens” and
“urban remnants”. Cities create a sort of permanent ambivalence because, while
they offer their residents countless possibilities, they also present many people
with any number of obstacles to the full development of their lives. This
contrast causes painful suffering. In many parts of the world, cities are the
scene of mass protests where thousands of people call for freedom, a voice in
public life, justice and a variety of other demands which, if not properly
understood, will not be silenced by force.
75.
We cannot ignore the fact that in cities human trafficking, the narcotics
trade, the abuse and exploitation of minors, the abandonment of the elderly and
infirm, and various forms of corruption and criminal activity take place. At
the same time, what could be significant places of encounter and solidarity
often become places of isolation and mutual distrust. Houses and neighbourhoods
are more often built to isolate and protect than to connect and integrate. The
proclamation of the Gospel will be a basis for restoring the dignity of human
life in these contexts, for Jesus desires to pour out an abundance of life upon
our cities (cf. Jn 10:10). The unified and complete sense of
human life that the Gospel proposes is the best remedy for the ills of our
cities, even though we have to realize that a uniform and rigid program of
evangelization is not suited to this complex reality. But to live our human
life to the fullest and to meet every challenge as a leaven of Gospel witness
in every culture and in every city will make us better Christians and bear
fruit in our cities.
76.
I feel tremendous gratitude to all those who are committed to working in and
for the Church. Here I do not wish to discuss at length the activities of the
different pastoral workers, from bishops down to those who provide the most
humble and hidden services. Rather, I would like to reflect on the challenges
that all of them must face in the context of our current globalized culture.
But in justice, I must say first that the contribution of the Church in today’s
world is enormous. The pain and the shame we feel at the sins of some members
of the Church, and at our own, must never make us forget how many Christians
are giving their lives in love. They help so many people to be healed or to die
in peace in makeshift hospitals. They are present to those enslaved by
different addictions in the poorest places on earth. They devote themselves to
the education of children and young people. They take care of the elderly who
have been forgotten by everyone else. They look for ways to communicate values
in hostile environments. They are dedicated in many other ways to showing an
immense love for humanity inspired by the God who became man. I am grateful for
the beautiful example given to me by so many Christians who joyfully sacrifice
their lives and their time. This witness comforts and sustains me in my own
effort to overcome selfishness and to give more fully of myself.
77.
As children of this age, though, all of us are in some way affected by the
present globalized culture which, while offering us values and new
possibilities, can also limit, condition and ultimately harm us. I am aware
that we need to create spaces where pastoral workers can be helped and healed,
“places where faith itself in the crucified and risen Jesus is renewed, where
the most profound questions and daily concerns are shared, where deeper discernment
about our experiences and life itself is undertaken in the light of the Gospel,
for the purpose of directing individual and social decisions towards the good
and beautiful”.[62] At
the same time, I would like to call attention to certain particular temptations
which affect pastoral workers.
78.
Today we are seeing in many pastoral workers, including consecrated men and
women, an inordinate concern for their personal freedom and relaxation, which
leads them to see their work as a mere appendage to their life, as if it were
not part of their very identity. At the same time, the spiritual life comes to
be identified with a few religious exercises which can offer a certain comfort
but which do not encourage encounter with others, engagement with the world or
a passion for evangelization. As a result, one can observe in many agents of
evangelization, even though they pray, a heightened individualism, a crisis of
identity and a cooling of fervour. These are three evils which fuel one
another.
79.
At times our media culture and some intellectual circles convey a marked
scepticism with regard to the Church’s message, along with a certain cynicism.
As a consequence, many pastoral workers, although they pray, develop a sort of
inferiority complex which leads them to relativize or conceal their Christian
identity and convictions. This produces a vicious circle. They end up being
unhappy with who they are and what they do; they do not identify with their
mission of evangelization and this weakens their commitment. They end up
stifling the joy of mission with a kind of obsession about being like everyone
else and possessing what everyone else possesses. Their work of evangelization
thus becomes forced, and they devote little energy and very limited time to it.
80.
Pastoral workers can thus fall into a relativism which, whatever their
particular style of spirituality or way of thinking, proves even more dangerous
than doctrinal relativism. It has to do with the deepest and inmost decisions
that shape their way of life. This practical relativism consists in acting as
if God did not exist, making decisions as if the poor did not exist, setting
goals as if others did not exist, working as if people who have not received
the Gospel did not exist. It is striking that even some who clearly have solid
doctrinal and spiritual convictions frequently fall into a lifestyle which
leads to an attachment to financial security, or to a desire for power or human
glory at all cost, rather than giving their lives to others in mission. Let us
not allow ourselves to be robbed of missionary enthusiasm!
81.
At a time when we most need a missionary dynamism which will bring salt and
light to the world, many lay people fear that they may be asked to undertake
some apostolic work and they seek to avoid any responsibility that may take
away from their free time. For example, it has become very difficult today to
find trained parish catechists willing to persevere in this work for some
years. Something similar is also happening with priests who are obsessed with
protecting their free time. This is frequently due to the fact that people feel
an overbearing need to guard their personal freedom, as though the task of
evangelization was a dangerous poison rather than a joyful response to God’s
love which summons us to mission and makes us fulfilled and productive. Some
resist giving themselves over completely to mission and thus end up in a state
of paralysis and acedia.
82.
The problem is not always an excess of activity, but rather activity undertaken
badly, without adequate motivation, without a spirituality which would permeate
it and make it pleasurable. As a result, work becomes more tiring than
necessary, even leading at times to illness. Far from a content and happy
tiredness, this is a tense, burdensome, dissatisfying and, in the end,
unbearable fatigue. This pastoral acedia can be caused by a number of things.
Some fall into it because they throw themselves into unrealistic projects and
are not satisfied simply to do what they reasonably can. Others, because they
lack the patience to allow processes to mature; they want everything to fall
from heaven. Others, because they are attached to a few projects or vain dreams
of success. Others, because they have lost real contract with people and so depersonalize
their work that they are more concerned with the road map than with the journey
itself. Others fall into acedia because they are unable to wait; they want to
dominate the rhythm of life. Today’s obsession with immediate results makes it
hard for pastoral workers to tolerate anything that smacks of disagreement,
possible failure, criticism, the cross.
83.
And so the biggest threat of all gradually takes shape: “the gray pragmatism of
the daily life of the Church, in which all appears to proceed normally, while
in reality faith is wearing down and degenerating into small-mindedness”.[63] A
tomb psychology thus develops and slowly transforms Christians into mummies in
a museum. Disillusioned with reality, with the Church and with themselves, they
experience a constant temptation to cling to a faint melancholy, lacking in
hope, which seizes the heart like “the most precious of the devil’s potions”.[64] Called
to radiate light and communicate life, in the end they are caught up in things
that generate only darkness and inner weariness, and slowly consume all zeal
for the apostolate. For all this, I repeat: Let us not allow ourselves to be
robbed of the joy of evangelization!
84.
The joy of the Gospel is such that it cannot be taken away from us by anyone or
anything (cf. Jn 16:22). The evils of our world – and those of
the Church – must not be excuses for diminishing our commitment and our fervour.
Let us look upon them as challenges which can help us to grow. With the eyes of
faith, we can see the light which the Holy Spirit always radiates in the midst
of darkness, never forgetting that “where sin increased, grace has abounded all
the more” (Rom 5:20). Our faith is challenged to discern how wine
can come from water and how wheat can grow in the midst of weeds. Fifty years
after the Second Vatican Council, while distressed by the troubles of our age
and far from naive optimism, our greater realism must not mean any less trust
in the Spirit or less generosity. In this sense, we can once again listen to
the words of Blessed John XXIII on the memorable day of 11 October 1962: “At
times we have to listen, much to our regret, to the voices of people who,
though burning with zeal, lack a sense of discretion and measure. In this
modern age they can see nothing but prevarication and ruin … We feel that we
must disagree with those prophets of doom who are always forecasting disaster,
as though the end of the world were at hand. In our times, divine Providence is
leading us to a new order of human relations which, by human effort and even
beyond all expectations, are directed to the fulfilment of God’s superior and
inscrutable designs, in which everything, even human setbacks, leads to the
greater good of the Church”.[65]
85.
One of the more serious temptations which stifles boldness and zeal is a
defeatism which turns us into querulous and disillusioned pessimists,
“sourpusses”. Nobody can go off to battle unless he is fully convinced of
victory beforehand. If we start without confidence, we have already lost half
the battle and we bury our talents. While painfully aware of our own frailties,
we have to march on without giving in, keeping in mind what the Lord said to
Saint Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). Christian triumph is always a cross,
yet a cross which is at the same time a victorious banner borne with aggressive
tenderness against the assaults of evil. The evil spirit of defeatism is
brother to the temptation to separate, before its time, the wheat from the
weeds; it is the fruit of an anxious and self-centred lack of trust.
86.
In some places a spiritual “desertification” has evidently come about, as the
result of attempts by some societies to build without God or to eliminate their
Christian roots. In those places “the Christian world is becoming sterile, and
it is depleting itself like an overexploited ground, which transforms into a
desert”.[66] In
other countries, violent opposition to Christianity forces Christians to hide
their faith in their own beloved homeland. This is another painful kind of
desert. But family and the workplace can also be a parched place where faith
nonetheless has to be preserved and communicated. Yet “it is starting from the
experience of this desert, from this void, that we can again discover the joy
of believing, its vital importance for us, men and women. In the desert we
rediscover the value of what is essential for living; thus in today’s world
there are innumerable signs, often expressed implicitly or negatively, of the
thirst for God, for the ultimate meaning of life. And in the desert people of
faith are needed who, by the example of their own lives, point out the way to
the Promised Land and keep hope alive”.[67] In
these situations we are called to be living sources of water from which others
can drink. At times, this becomes a heavy cross, but it was from the cross,
from his pierced side, that our Lord gave himself to us as a source of living
water. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of hope!
87.
Today, when the networks and means of human communication have made
unprecedented advances, we sense the challenge of finding and sharing a
“mystique” of living together, of mingling and encounter, of embracing and
supporting one another, of stepping into this flood tide which, while chaotic,
can become a genuine experience of fraternity, a caravan of solidarity, a
sacred pilgrimage. Greater possibilities for communication thus turn into
greater possibilities for encounter and solidarity for everyone. If we were
able to take this route, it would be so good, so soothing, so liberating and
hope-filled! To go out of ourselves and to join others is healthy for us. To be
self-enclosed is to taste the bitter poison of immanence, and humanity will be
worse for every selfish choice we make.
88.
The Christian ideal will always be a summons to overcome suspicion, habitual
mistrust, fear of losing our privacy, all the defensive attitudes which today’s
world imposes on us. Many try to escape from others and take refuge in the
comfort of their privacy or in a small circle of close friends, renouncing the
realism of the social aspect of the Gospel. For just as some people want a
purely spiritual Christ, without flesh and without the cross, they also want
their interpersonal relationships provided by sophisticated equipment, by
screens and systems which can be turned on and off on command. Meanwhile, the
Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with
others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and
their pleas, with their joy which infects us in our close and continuous
interaction. True faith in the incarnate Son of God is inseparable from
self-giving, from membership in the community, from service, from
reconciliation with others. The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to
the revolution of tenderness.
89.
Isolation, which is a version of immanentism, can find expression in a false
autonomy which has no place for God. But in the realm of religion it can also
take the form of a spiritual consumerism tailored to one’s own unhealthy
individualism. The return to the sacred and the quest for spirituality which
mark our own time are ambiguous phenomena. Today, our challenge is not so much
atheism as the need to respond adequately to many people’s thirst for God, lest
they try to satisfy it with alienating solutions or with a disembodied Jesus
who demands nothing of us with regard to others. Unless these people find in
the Church a spirituality which can offer healing and liberation, and fill them
with life and peace, while at the same time summoning them to fraternal communion
and missionary fruitfulness, they will end up by being taken in by solutions
which neither make life truly human nor give glory to God.
90.
Genuine forms of popular religiosity are incarnate, since they are born of the
incarnation of Christian faith in popular culture. For this reason they entail
a personal relationship, not with vague spiritual energies or powers, but with
God, with Christ, with Mary, with the saints. These devotions are fleshy, they
have a face. They are capable of fostering relationships and not just enabling
escapism. In other parts of our society, we see the growing attraction to
various forms of a “spirituality of well-being” divorced from any community
life, or to a “theology of prosperity” detached from responsibility for our
brothers and sisters, or to depersonalized experiences which are nothing more
than a form of self-centredness.
91.
One important challenge is to show that the solution will never be found in
fleeing from a personal and committed relationship with God which at the same
time commits us to serving others. This happens frequently nowadays, as
believers seek to hide or keep apart from others, or quietly flit from one
place to another or from one task to another, without creating deep and stable
bonds. “Imaginatio locorum et mutatio multos fefellit”.[68] This
is a false remedy which cripples the heart and at times the body as well. We
need to help others to realize that the only way is to learn how to encounter
others with the right attitude, which is to accept and esteem them as
companions along the way, without interior resistance. Better yet, it means
learning to find Jesus in the faces of others, in their voices, in their pleas.
And learning to suffer in the embrace of the crucified Jesus whenever we are
unjustly attacked or meet with ingratitude, never tiring of our decision to
live in fraternity.[69]
92.
There indeed we find true healing, since the way to relate to others which
truly heals instead of debilitating us, is amystical fraternity, a
contemplative fraternity. It is a fraternal love capable of seeing the sacred
grandeur of our neighbour, of finding God in every human being, of tolerating
the nuisances of life in common by clinging to the love of God, of opening the
heart to divine love and seeking the happiness of others just as their heavenly
Father does. Here and now, especially where we are a “little flock” (Lk 12:32),
the Lord’s disciples are called to live as a community which is the salt of the
earth and the light of the world (cf. Mt 5:13-16). We are
called to bear witness to a constantly new way of living together in fidelity
to the Gospel.[70] Let
us not allow ourselves to be robbed of community!
93.
Spiritual worldliness, which hides behind the appearance of piety and even love
for the Church, consists in seeking not the Lord’s glory but human glory and
personal well-being. It is what the Lord reprimanded the Pharisees for: “How
can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory
that comes from the only God?” (Jn5:44). It is a subtle way of seeking
one’s “own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:21). It
takes on many forms, depending on the kinds of persons and groups into which it
seeps. Since it is based on carefully cultivated appearances, it is not always
linked to outward sin; from without, everything appears as it should be. But if
it were to seep into the Church, “it would be infinitely more disastrous than
any other worldliness which is simply moral”.[71]
94.
This worldliness can be fuelled in two deeply interrelated ways. One is the
attraction of gnosticism, a purely subjective faith whose only interest is a
certain experience or a set of ideas and bits of information which are meant to
console and enlighten, but which ultimately keep one imprisoned in his or her
own thoughts and feelings. The other is the self-absorbed promethean
neopelagianism of those who ultimately trust only in their own powers and feel
superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain intransigently
faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past. A supposed soundness of
doctrine or discipline leads instead to a narcissistic and authoritarian
elitism, whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others,
and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in
inspecting and verifying. In neither case is one really concerned about Jesus
Christ or others. These are manifestations of an anthropocentric immanentism.
It is impossible to think that a genuine evangelizing thrust could emerge from
these adulterated forms of Christianity.
95.
This insidious worldliness is evident in a number of attitudes which appear
opposed, yet all have the same pretence of “taking over the space of the
Church”. In some people we see an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy,
for doctrine and for the Church’s prestige, but without any concern that the
Gospel have a real impact on God’s faithful people and the concrete needs of
the present time. In this way, the life of the Church turns into a museum piece
or something which is the property of a select few. In others, this spiritual
worldliness lurks behind a fascination with social and political gain, or pride
in their ability to manage practical affairs, or an obsession with programmes
of self-help and self-realization. It can also translate into a concern to be
seen, into a social life full of appearances, meetings, dinners and receptions.
It can also lead to a business mentality, caught up with management,
statistics, plans and evaluations whose principal beneficiary is not God’s
people but the Church as an institution. The mark of Christ, incarnate,
crucified and risen, is not present; closed and elite groups are formed, and no
effort is made to go forth and seek out those who are distant or the immense
multitudes who thirst for Christ. Evangelical fervour is replaced by the empty
pleasure of complacency and self-indulgence.
96.
This way of thinking also feeds the vainglory of those who are content to have
a modicum of power and would rather be the general of a defeated army than a
mere private in a unit which continues to fight. How often we dream up vast
apostolic projects, meticulously planned, just like defeated generals! But this
is to deny our history as a Church, which is glorious precisely because it is a
history of sacrifice, of hopes and daily struggles, of lives spent in service
and fidelity to work, tiring as it may be, for all work is “the sweat of our
brow”. Instead, we waste time talking about “what needs to be done” – in
Spanish we call this the sin of “habriaqueísmo” – like spiritual masters and
pastoral experts who give instructions from on high. We indulge in endless
fantasies and we lose contact with the real lives and difficulties of our
people.
97.
Those who have fallen into this worldliness look on from above and afar, they
reject the prophecy of their brothers and sisters, they discredit those who
raise questions, they constantly point out the mistakes of others and they are
obsessed by appearances. Their hearts are open only to the limited horizon of
their own immanence and interests, and as a consequence they neither learn from
their sins nor are they genuinely open to forgiveness. This is a tremendous
corruption disguised as a good. We need to avoid it by making the Church
constantly go out from herself, keeping her mission focused on Jesus Christ,
and her commitment to the poor. God save us from a worldly Church with
superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings! This stifling worldliness can
only be healed by breathing in the pure air of the Holy Spirit who frees us
from self-centredness cloaked in an outward religiosity bereft of God. Let us
not allow ourselves to be robbed of the Gospel!
98.
How many wars take place within the people of God and in our different
communities! In our neighbourhoods and in the workplace, how many wars are
caused by envy and jealousy, even among Christians! Spiritual worldliness leads
some Christians to war with other Christians who stand in the way of their
quest for power, prestige, pleasure and economic security. Some are even no
longer content to live as part of the greater Church community but stoke a
spirit of exclusivity, creating an “inner circle”. Instead of belonging to the
whole Church in all its rich variety, they belong to this or that group which
thinks itself different or special.
99.
Our world is being torn apart by wars and violence, and wounded by a widespread
individualism which divides human beings, setting them against one another as
they pursue their own well-being. In various countries, conflicts and old
divisions from the past are re-emerging. I especially ask Christians in
communities throughout the world to offer a radiant and attractive witness of
fraternal communion. Let everyone admire how you care for one another, and how
you encourage and accompany one another: “By this everyone will know that you
are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35).
This was Jesus’ heartfelt prayer to the Father: “That they may all be one... in
us... so that the world may believe” (Jn 17:21). Beware of the
temptation of jealousy! We are all in the same boat and headed to the same
port! Let us ask for the grace to rejoice in the gifts of each, which belong to
all.
100.
Those wounded by historical divisions find it difficult to accept our
invitation to forgiveness and reconciliation, since they think that we are
ignoring their pain or are asking them to give up their memory and ideals. But
if they see the witness of authentically fraternal and reconciled communities,
they will find that witness luminous and attractive. It always pains me greatly
to discover how some Christian communities, and even consecrated persons, can
tolerate different forms of enmity, division, calumny, defamation, vendetta,
jealousy and the desire to impose certain ideas at all costs, even to
persecutions which appear as veritable witch hunts. Whom are we going to
evangelize if this is the way we act?
101.
Let us ask the Lord to help us understand the law of love. How good it is to
have this law! How much good it does us to love one another, in spite of
everything. Yes, in spite of everything! Saint Paul’s exhortation is directed
to each of us: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21).
And again: “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right” (Gal 6:9).
We all have our likes and dislikes, and perhaps at this very moment we are
angry with someone. At least let us say to the Lord: “Lord, I am angry with
this person, with that person. I pray to you for him and for her”. To pray for
a person with whom I am irritated is a beautiful step forward in love, and an
act of evangelization. Let us do it today! Let us not allow ourselves to be
robbed of the ideal of fraternal love!
102.
Lay people are, put simply, the vast majority of the People of God. The
minority – ordained ministers – are at their service. There has been a growing
awareness of the identity and mission of the laity in the Church. We can count
on many lay persons, although still not nearly enough, who have a deeply-rooted
sense of community and great fidelity to the tasks of charity, catechesis and
the celebration of the faith. At the same time, a clear awareness of this
responsibility of the laity, grounded in their baptism and confirmation, does
not appear in the same way in all places. In some cases, it is because lay
persons have not been given the formation needed to take on important
responsibilities. In others, it is because in their particular Churches room
has not been made for them to speak and to act, due to an excessive clericalism
which keeps them away from decision-making. Even if many are now involved in
the lay ministries, this involvement is not reflected in a greater penetration
of Christian values in the social, political and economic sectors. It often
remains tied to tasks within the Church, without a real commitment to applying
the Gospel to the transformation of society. The formation of the laity and the
evangelization of professional and intellectual life represent a significant
pastoral challenge.
103.
The Church acknowledges the indispensable contribution which women make to
society through the sensitivity, intuition and other distinctive skill sets
which they, more than men, tend to possess. I think, for example, of the
special concern which women show to others, which finds a particular, even if
not exclusive, expression in motherhood. I readily acknowledge that many women
share pastoral responsibilities with priests, helping to guide people, families
and groups and offering new contributions to theological reflection. But we
need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence
in the Church. Because “the feminine genius is needed in all expressions in the
life of society, the presence of women must also be guaranteed in the workplace”[72] and
in the various other settings where important decisions are made, both in the
Church and in social structures.
104.
Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm
conviction that men and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with
profound and challenging questions which cannot be lightly evaded. The
reservation of the priesthood to males, as a sign of Christ the Spouse who
gives himself in the Eucharist, is not a question open to discussion, but it
can prove especially divisive if sacramental power is too closely identified
with power in general. It must be remembered that when we speak of sacramental
power “we are in the realm of function, not that of dignity or holiness”.[73] The
ministerial priesthood is one means employed by Jesus for the service of his
people, yet our great dignity derives from baptism, which is accessible to all.
The configuration of the priest to Christ the head – namely, as the principal
source of grace – does not imply an exaltation which would set him above
others. In the Church, functions “do not favour the superiority of some
vis-à-vis the others”.[74] Indeed,
a woman, Mary, is more important than the bishops. Even when the function of
ministerial priesthood is considered “hierarchical”, it must be remembered that
“it is totally ordered to the holiness of Christ’s members”.[75] Its
key and axis is not power understood as domination, but the power to administer
the sacrament of the Eucharist; this is the origin of its authority, which is
always a service to God’s people. This presents a great challenge for pastors
and theologians, who are in a position to recognize more fully what this
entails with regard to the possible role of women in decision-making in
different areas of the Church’s life.
105.
Youth ministry, as traditionally organized, has also suffered the impact of
social changes. Young people often fail to find responses to their concerns,
needs, problems and hurts in the usual structures. As adults, we find it hard
to listen patiently to them, to appreciate their concerns and demands, and to
speak to them in a language they can understand. For the same reason, our
efforts in the field of education do not produce the results expected. The rise
and growth of associations and movements mostly made up of young people can be
seen as the work of the Holy Spirit, who blazes new trails to meet their
expectations and their search for a deep spirituality and a more real sense of
belonging. There remains a need, however, to ensure that these associations
actively participate in the Church’s overall pastoral efforts.[76]
106.
Even if it is not always easy to approach young people, progress has been made
in two areas: the awareness that the entire community is called to evangelize
and educate the young, and the urgent need for the young to exercise greater
leadership. We should recognize that despite the present crisis of commitment
and communal relationships, many young people are making common cause before
the problems of our world and are taking up various forms of activism and
volunteer work. Some take part in the life of the Church as members of service
groups and various missionary initiatives in their own dioceses and in other
places. How beautiful it is to see that young people are “street preachers” (callejeros
de la fe), joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town square and
every corner of the earth!
107.
Many places are experiencing a dearth of vocations to the priesthood and
consecrated life. This is often due to a lack of contagious apostolic fervour
in communities which results in a cooling of enthusiasm and attractiveness.
Wherever there is life, fervour and a desire to bring Christ to others, genuine
vocations will arise. Even in parishes where priests are not particularly
committed or joyful, the fraternal life and fervour of the community can awaken
in the young a desire to consecrate themselves completely to God and to the preaching
of the Gospel. This is particularly true if such a living community prays
insistently for vocations and courageously proposes to its young people the
path of special consecration. On the other hand, despite the scarcity of
vocations, today we are increasingly aware of the need for a better process of
selecting candidates to the priesthood. Seminaries cannot accept candidates on
the basis of any motivation whatsoever, especially if those motivations have to
do with affective insecurity or the pursuit of power, human glory or economic
well-being.
108.
As I mentioned above, I have not sought to offer a complete diagnosis, but I
invite communities to complete and enrich these perspectives on the basis of
their awareness of the challenges facing them and their neighbours. It is my
hope that, in doing so, they will realize that whenever we attempt to read the
signs of the times it is helpful to listen to young people and the elderly.
Both represent a source of hope for every people. The elderly bring with them
memory and the wisdom of experience, which warns us not to foolishly repeat our
past mistakes. Young people call us to renewed and expansive hope, for they
represent new directions for humanity and open us up to the future, lest we
cling to a nostalgia for structures and customs which are no longer life-giving
in today’s world.
109. Challenges exist to be
overcome! Let us be realists, but without losing our joy, our boldness and our
hope-filled commitment. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of missionary
vigour!
[53] JOHN
PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25
March 1992), 10: AAS 84 (1992), 673.
[57] JOHN
PAUL II, Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa (14
September 1995), 52: AAS 88 (1996), 32-33; ID.,Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo
Rei Socialis (30 December 1987), 22: AAS 80 (1988), 539.
[59] UNITED
STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS, Ministry to Persons with a
Homosexual Inclination:Guidelines for Pastoral Care (2006), 17.
[60] CONFÉRENCE
DES ÉVÊQUES DE FRANCE, Conseil Famille et Société, Élargir le mariage aux
personnes de même sexe? Ouvrons le débat! (28 September 2012).
[62] AZIONE
CATTOLICA ITALIANA, Messaggio della XIV Assemblea Nazionale alla Chiesa
ed al Paese (8 May 2011).
[63] J.
RATZINGER, The Current Situation of Faith and Theology. Conference
given at the Meeting of Presidents of Latin American Episcopal Commissions for
the Doctrine of the Faith, Guadalajara, Mexico, 1996. Translation inL’Osservatore
Romano, English Language Edition, 6 November 1996. Cf. FIFTH GENERAL
CONFERENCE OF THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN BISHOPS, Aparecida
Document, 29 June 2007, 12.
[65] Address
for the Opening of the Second Vatican Council (11 October 1962): 4, 2-4: AAS 54
(1962), 789.
[66] J.H.
NEWMAN, Letter of 26 January 1833, in The Letters and Diaries of John
Henry Newman, vol. III, Oxford 1979, 204.
[67] BENEDICT
XVI, Homily at Mass for the Opening of the Year of Faith (11 October 2012): AAS
104 (2012), 881.
[68] THOMAS
À KEMPIS, De Imitatione Christi, Lib. I, IX, 5: “Dreaming of
different places, and moving from one to another, has misled many”.
[69] We
can benefit from the testimony of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who speaks of one
particular Sister whom she found especially disagreeable, where an interior
experience had a decisive impact: “One winter afternoon I was engaged as usual
in my little task. It was cold and growing dark… Suddenly I heard in the
distance the harmonious sounds of a musical instrument. I began to imagine a
well-lit room, draped in gold, and in it, elegantly dressed young ladies
exchanging worldly compliments and courtesies. Then I looked at the poor sick
woman whom I was attending. In place of a melody, I heard her occasional groans
and sighs… I cannot express what took place in my soul. All that I do know is that
the Lord illumined it with the rays of truth which so surpassed the flickering
glow of earthly revels, that I could scarcely believe my happiness” (Ms. C,
29v-30r, in Oeuvres Complètes, Paris, 1992, 274-275).
[72] PONTIFICAL
COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Church, 295.
[73] JOHN
PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici (30
December 1988), 51: AAS 81 (1989), 413.
[74] CONGREGATION
FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Declaration Inter Insigniores on
the Question of the Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood (15
October 1976): AAS 68 (1977) 115, cited in JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation Christifideles Laici (30 December 1988), note 190:
AAS 81 (1989), 493.
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