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martedì 17 dicembre 2024

THE GENEROUS RABBIT - LE LAPIN GÉNÉREUX

 


* A tale for children

 and… adults *


In an enchanted forest lived a little rabbit named Nico. 

Nico was famous for his generosity and willingness to help all the animals in the forest. 

If the squirrel Anna needed nuts, Nico would collect them; if the fox Luca had a broken shelter, Nico would repair it; and if the turtle Tonia needed company to cross the river, Nico was there, carrying her on his back.

The rabbit worked tirelessly, jumping from one place to another to meet the needs of others. Although everyone appreciated him, many began to take his help for granted. One day, while helping Lilli the giraffe decorate her tallest tree, Nico slipped and fell. It wasn't a serious fall, but as he got up he felt pain in his hind legs. The pain wasn't just physical; it was also the burden of always feeling needed by others, but never cared for.

That night, as he rested in his den, Nico looked at the moon and sighed. "I love helping my friends, but I have no strength left. No one stops to think about how I feel or if I need help too."

The next day, when Bruno the beaver asked him for help in building his dam, Nico took a deep breath and replied:

— I'm sorry, Bruno, but today I need some time for myself. I'm tired and I want to rest.

Bruno looked at him in surprise, but then nodded. From that moment on, Nico began to say "no" when he felt he needed it. Instead of helping everyone all the time, he devoted himself to taking care of his den, enjoying the sun's rays and hopping around the forest without a care in the world.

Over time, the other animals realized that Nico couldn't do everything for them. Some began to help each other instead of always depending on him. They even organized themselves to help the rabbit when he needed it, bringing him fresh carrots or taking care of his burrow.

Nico's life improved. He understood that helping is a wonderful thing, but taking care of oneself is just as important. And the entire forest flourished with a spirit of collaboration and balance.

Moral: Being generous is wonderful, but we must remember that even the greatest hearts need rest and care.

Helping others should not mean forgetting to help ourselves.

 

LE LAPIN GÉNÉREUX

 

* Un conte de fées pour enfants et... adultes *

 Dans une forêt enchantée vivait un petit lapin nommé Nico. Nico était célèbre pour sa générosité et sa volonté d'aider tous les animaux de la forêt. Si Anna l'écureuil avait besoin de noix, Nico les récupérait ; si le renard Luca avait un abri cassé, Nico le réparerait ; et si Tonia la tortue avait besoin de compagnie pour traverser la rivière, Nico était là, la portant sur son dos.

Le lapin travaillait sans relâche, sautant d’un côté à l’autre pour répondre aux besoins des autres. Même si tout le monde l’appréciait, beaucoup commençaient à considérer son aide comme acquise. Un jour, alors qu'il aidait la girafe Lilli à décorer son plus grand arbre, Nico a glissé et est tombé. Ce n'était pas une chute grave, mais lorsqu'il s'est relevé, il a ressenti des douleurs aux pattes arrière. Cette douleur n'était pas seulement physique ; c'était aussi le fardeau de toujours se sentir utile aux autres, mais sans jamais s'en soucier.

Cette nuit-là, alors qu'il se reposait dans sa tanière, Nico leva les yeux vers la lune et soupira. "J'adore aider mes amis, mais je n'ai plus de force. Personne ne s'arrête pour penser à ce que je ressens ou si j'ai aussi besoin d'aide."

Le lendemain, lorsque le castor Bruno lui demande de l'aider à construire son barrage, Nico inspira profondément et répondit :

— Je suis désolé, Bruno, mais aujourd'hui j'ai besoin de temps pour moi. Je suis fatigué et je veux me reposer.

Bruno le regarda surpris, puis hocha la tête. À partir de ce moment, Nico a commencé à dire « non » quand il en ressentait le besoin. Au lieu d'aider tout le monde tout le temps, il s'est consacré à prendre soin de sa propre tanière, à profiter des rayons du soleil et à parcourir la forêt sans soucis.

Au fil du temps, les autres animaux se sont rendu compte que Nico ne pouvait pas tout faire à leur place. Certains ont commencé à s’entraider au lieu de toujours dépendre de lui. Ils se sont même arrangés pour aider le lapin quand il en avait besoin, en lui apportant des carottes fraîches ou en prenant soin de son terrier.

La vie de Nico s'est améliorée. Il a compris qu’aider est une chose merveilleuse, mais que prendre soin de soi est tout aussi important. Et toute la forêt s'est épanouie dans un esprit de collaboration et d'équilibre.

Moralité : Être généreux est merveilleux, mais nous devons nous rappeler que même les plus grands cœurs ont besoin de repos et de soins. Aider les autres ne signifie pas nécessairement oublier de s’aider soi-même.


From the Web

giovedì 6 giugno 2024

FREEDOM TO SERVE

 The Holy Spirit makes us truly free

 

Basing his reflection

 on the Hebrew word 

for “Spirit”, 

Pope Francis explains 

that the Third Person of the Trinity 

is able to make us truly free.

 

-By Christopher Wells

 

Pope Francis began his catechesis on Wednesday with a reflection on the Name of the Holy Spirit, which is revealed in the Old Testament as Ruach, a Hebrew word meaning “breath, wind, or puff of air.”

This word, he said, contains “the first fundamental revelation about the Person and function of the Holy Spirit.”

Recalling the “roar of rushing wind” that accompanied the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Pope explained that the name Ruach expresses the “power” of the Holy Spirit, which like the wind is “an overwhelming and indomitable force… capable even of moving oceans.”

The freedom of the Holy Spirit

But “to discover the full meaning of the realities of the Bible,” the Pope continued, it is necessary to go beyond the Old Testament “and come to Jesus,” who emphasizes the freedom of the Spirit: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Like the wind, that cannot “be bridled, ‘bottled up,’ or put in a box, the Holy Spirit cannot be reduced to “concepts, definitions, theses, or treatises,” nor enclosed within “canons, institutions, or definitions.” The Spirit “creates and animates institutions, but cannot be ‘institutionalized’,” the Pope said.

Freedom to serve

At the same time, Pope Francis said, the freedom of the Spirit is not “a freedom to do what one wants, but the freedom to freely do what God wants!” This, he explained, “is a freedom that expresses itself in service, which appears to be the opposite, but is

Following St Paul, who exhorts Christians not to allow their freedom to become a pretext for the flesh, Pope Francis denounced the false freedom “that allows the rich to exploit the poor, the strong to exploit the weak, and everyone to exploit the environment with impunity.”

Pope Francis concluded his address by pointing out that the true freedom of the Spirit must come from Jesus, and inviting everyone to pray that, Jesus might make us “through His Holy Spirit, truly free men and women.”

 Vatican News

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POPE'S SPEECH

[AR - DE - EN - ES - FR - HR - IT - PL - PT]



 

giovedì 25 aprile 2024

TODAY'S DISEAIS IS APATY


Power, democracy  
 and the common good. 


"In democracies 

the exercise 

of power becomes

 service."

At the conference held on April 24, at the Pontifical Lateran University, promoted by the Cortile dei Gentili, the cardinal spoke about the relationship between religion and power in the light of the Scriptures. In the confrontation between believers and non-believers, the writer D'Arcais underlined the importance and effectiveness of a dialogue "without diplomatism". 

Monsignor Staglianò: democracy is service and affirmation of social trust, otherwise there is a risk of authoritarian drift

-         by Antonella Palermo - Vatican City

Render to Caesar what is Caesar's, to God what is God's. It is the biblical fulcrum referred to by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, creator of the Courtyard of the Gentiles, who in the round table held today, 24 April, at the Pontifical Lateran University and moderated by Monsignor Antonio Staglianò, president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, illustrates the relationship between religion and politics as offered by the Holy Scriptures.

Don't confuse secular with secularist

The cardinal, president emeritus of what was the Pontifical Council for Culture, highlights the difficulty of the current challenge of walking between a theocratic model, with its statist parallel, of power management and a model that takes into account the political teaching of Christ. On the one hand, the absolute verticalism which derives power from a superior entity or which confines the sacred to an intimate temple without social implications, on the other the assumption that human society is the true subject, in which there are some values foundations proposed by religion, since man and woman are the image of God (even women, the cardinal specifies, "we often forget"). The issue in constant play is, Ravasi warns, confusing secularist with secularist. And in this regard, he invites us not to forget that "Christ was a layman. Therefore his presence allows us to understand how he himself gave the impulse to overcome the theocratic model".

Politics and democracy in a liquid society

The theme is taken up again by President Giuliano Amato who, after a historical summary of the process of affirmation of democracy in the West, asks how to protect the common good in the face of the risk, inherent in the very concept of democracy, of the disintegration of power. The point is, essentially, "how to restore a common platform of cohesive factors". Because politics, for example if the function of parties is discredited, ends up being deprived of those elements that absorb tensions between individual interests. The party system projects politics towards future horizons, Amato maintains, which otherwise limits itself exclusively to re-acting, and not to acting, as it should, on impulses that crush it on the contingencies of the present. "When we lost the visions provided by the parties, societies shattered", he explains and underlines that the individualisation of the liquid society contributed to the phenomenon. “In this context, aggregation on the extremes becomes even more harmful and unproductive”, he underlines, citing among others the aspect of diverging positions on an issue such as abortion. “From the treatment of taxes to that of immigrants, it is not easy to find cohesion – he adds – but it is fundamental”.

What dialogue do we believe in?

Paolo Flores D'Arcais, director of the MicroMega magazine, expresses his dissent by insisting on the fact that democracy "relies only on itself " and that "in the discussion for the deliberation that leads to the norm, the topic of God cannot be inserted otherwise we are no longer dealing with citizens." The philosopher specifies that in a democratic regime only “established facts, the use of logic and constitutional values (those that make us co-citizens) count”. He also invites us to clear the language of ambiguity: "Which God are we referring to? What concept of democracy, given that even some despots speak of democracy?". The director says he believes in "dialogue without diplomacy", the only one in which all differences are highlighted, otherwise any common action will be weakened.

The "disease" of apathy and the risks of authoritarian tendencies

Replying to D'Arcais on some aspects concerning the end of life and self-determination is Monsignor Staglianò: "When I say I decide for myself, I must understand that that 'for me' is a social product", he states, while welding together solidarity and citizenship speaks Monsignor Patrick Valdrini , professor of the Lateran University, who points out that "the faithful have the right to be recognized as a freedom that belongs to all citizens and a culture acquired in the Church, without this separating them from the rest of society" . And if Cardinal Ravasi comments, in agreement with D'Arcais, denouncing a particular form of illness which defines apatheism, or indifference, even in the religious sphere, which has truly become an enemy of democracy, on the eve of 25 April, Liberation Day for Italy, Monsignor Staglianò, to Vatican News, specified that " within democracies the exercise of power becomes service ". When this is not the case, he underlines, it becomes authoritarianism.

And he returns to the value of the common good: it "cannot be the sum of the interests of individual groups, but must be social trust within a peaceful civil coexistence, where all citizens can show solidarity and love each other. A democratic society that would prevent human ability to express oneself would not be such."

Vatican News

 

 


mercoledì 27 settembre 2023

POWER AND SERVICE - POUVOIR ET SERVICE

 


LA LOGICA DEL POTERE E QUELLA DEL SERVIZIO

THE LOGIC OF POWER AND THE LOGIC OF SERVICE

LA LOGIQUE DU POUVOIR ET LA LOGIQUE DU SERVICE

LA LÓGICA DEL PODER Y LA LÓGICA DEL SERVICIO

 it - en - fr - es 

La logica evangelica sovverte le categorie del potere

 «Voi sapete che coloro i quali sono considerati i governanti delle nazioni dominano su di esse e i loro capi le opprimono. Tra voi però non è così; ma chi vuole diventare grande tra voi sarà vostro servitore, e chi vuole essere il primo tra voi sarà schiavo di tutti. Anche il Figlio dell’uomo, infatti, non è venuto per farsi servire, ma per servire e dare la propria vita in riscatto per molti». (Mc 10,2-16)

  -di Miriam D’Agostino

  La logica evangelica sovverte le categorie del potere, e di ogni potere piccolo o grande che sia. Nessuno è esente dall’esercizio del potere, perché sin da bambini con un pianto “obblighiamo” qualcuno a prendersi cura di noi, della nostra fame, della nostra sete, del nostro bisogno di cure, attenzioni e coccole, e se quel “qualcuno” manca o è carente ci lasciamo “morire”.

  Il potere ha diverse sfumature, diversi luoghi e tempi di esercizio, diverse forme e modalità, differenti linguaggi, accessori, collaboratori e responsabilità.

 Quando qualcuno ha potere su di noi per orari di lavoro, tasse da pagare, compiti da fare, sentiamo subito il peso della frustrazione di non essere stati noi a decidere il “come” e il “quando” di una nostra azione, pensiero, emozione.

  Quando invece siamo noi ad agire per potere, ne assaporiamo il fascino, il gusto, avere qualcuno che fa le cose “come dico io” ci fa sentire “migliori”, confondendo l’idea che per esserci bisogna essere “migliori” di qualcuno da trattare da “peggiore”.

  Non nascondiamoci dietro un dito, succede così nelle nostre famiglie, a scuola, al lavoro, nelle associazioni, nei grandi movimenti, nei club, perché l’esercizio del potere innesca una parte di noi ineliminabile, l’istinto alla sopravvivenza e le tentazioni dell’autoreferenza, del fare carriera e anche del nepotismo.

  La logica evangelica del Vangelo si inserisce proprio qui, nella forma che noi scegliamo di dare ad un elemento creaturale ineliminabile, che ci rimette continuamente in relazione con gli altri, noi stessi e il Padre. Gesù non sminuisce minimamente l’autorità di Mosè, il valore della Scrittura, ciò che va rinnovato, convertito, trasformato, sovvertito è la forma del vivere quel valore che nell’esperienza di altri (scribi e farisei) sembra aver perso la sua originaria validità.

  La questione non è non esercitare la propria autorità, la propria libertà, la propria responsabilità, ma la forma con cui quotidianamente scegliamo viverla.

 Il vangelo ce ne suggerisce il criterio, quello di considerarci “fratelli”, di vivere relazioni di fratellanza, di non pretendere che nessuno si inginocchi ai nostri piedi, di trattare l’altro semplicemente da “altro “con la sua dignità.  “Voi siete tutti fratelli”, non c’è un migliore o un peggiore, ma tutti possiamo riconoscerci fratelli nella misura in cui ci riconosciamo figli.

 Ed è qui che forse la buona notizia evangelica sovverte le categorie del potere, imparare a riconoscersi figli, figli di un unico Padre, significa riconoscere che l’esercizio del mio potere non è arbitrario ma per essere sano, dignitoso, ha l’unico criterio di riferimento che è quello del Padre. Solo nella misura in cui riconosciamo il potere del servizio con cui il Padre, nella persona di Gesù ha esercitato e continua ad esercitare quotidianamente nella fertilità della storia, e di ogni storia, il nostro vivere e relazionarci sarà quello di creare relazioni di fratellanza.

 Link: http://www.monasterosantanna.it/la-logica-evangelica-sovverte-le-categorie-del-potere/

 

THE LOGIC OF POWER AND THE LOGIC OF SERVICE

 The Gospel logic subverts the categories of power

  "You know that those who are considered the rulers of the nations rule over them and their leaders oppress them. Among you, however, it is not so; but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many". (Mk 10:2-16)

  -by Miriam D'Agostino

  The logic of the Gospel subverts the categories of power, and of every power great or small.

No one is exempt from the exercise of power, because from childhood with a cry we 'oblige' someone to take care of us, of our hunger, our thirst, our need for care, attention and pampering, and if that 'someone' is missing or lacking we let ourselves 'die'.

 Power has different nuances, different places and times of exercise, different forms and modes, different languages, accessories, collaborators and responsibilities.

  When someone has power over us because of working hours, taxes to be paid, tasks to be done, we immediately feel the weight of frustration at not having been the one to decide the 'how' and 'when' of our action, thought, emotion.

  When, on the other hand, we are the ones who act by power, we savour the fascination, the taste, having someone do things 'as I say' makes us feel 'better', confounding the idea that to be there one has to be 'better' than someone to be treated as 'worse'.

  Let us not hide behind a finger, it happens like this in our families, at school, at work, in associations, in large movements, in clubs, because the exercise of power triggers an ineradicable part of us, the survival instinct and the temptations of self-reference, of making a career and even nepotism.

  The evangelical logic of the Gospel fits right in here, in the form we choose to give to an ineradicable creaturely element, which continually puts us back into relationship with others, ourselves and the Father. Jesus in no way diminishes the authority of Moses, the value of Scripture, what needs to be renewed, converted, subverted is the form of living that value which in the experience of others (scribes and Pharisees) seems to have lost its original validity.

  The question is not not to exercise one's authority, one's freedom, one's responsibility, but the form in which we daily choose to live it.

  The gospel suggests the criterion, that of considering ourselves 'brothers', of living relationships of brotherhood, of not expecting anyone to kneel at our feet, of treating the other simply as 'other' with his dignity.  "You are all brothers", there is no better or worse, but we can all recognise ourselves as brothers to the extent that we recognise ourselves as sons.

 And it is here that perhaps the good news of the Gospel subverts the categories of power, learning to recognise ourselves as sons, children of the one Father, means recognising that the exercise of my power is not arbitrary but to be healthy, dignified, has the only criterion of reference which is that of the Father. Only to the extent that we recognise the power of service with which the Father, in the person of Jesus, has exercised and continues to exercise on a daily basis in the fertility of history, and of every history, will our living and relating be that of creating relationships of brotherhood.

 

LA LOGIQUE DU POUVOIR ET LA LOGIQUE DU SERVICE

 La logique de l'Évangile renverse les catégories de pouvoir

  "Vous savez que ceux qui sont considérés comme les chefs des nations les dominent et que leurs chefs les oppriment. Parmi vous, il n'en est pas ainsi ; mais celui qui veut devenir grand parmi vous sera votre serviteur, et celui qui veut être le premier parmi vous sera l'esclave de tous. Car le Fils de l'homme lui-même n'est pas venu pour être servi, mais pour servir et donner sa vie en rançon pour beaucoup". (Mc 10, 2-16)

  -par Miriam D'Agostino

  La logique de l'Évangile renverse les catégories du pouvoir, et de tout pouvoir petit ou grand.

 Personne n'échappe à l'exercice du pouvoir, car dès l'enfance, par un cri, nous "obligeons" quelqu'un à s'occuper de nous, de notre faim, de notre soif, de notre besoin de soins, d'attention et de gâteries, et si ce "quelqu'un" manque ou fait défaut, nous nous laissons "mourir".

  Le pouvoir a différentes nuances, différents lieux et moments d'exercice, différentes formes et modes, différents langages, accessoires, collaborateurs et responsabilités.

  Lorsque quelqu'un a du pouvoir sur nous à cause des horaires de travail, des impôts à payer, des tâches à accomplir, nous ressentons immédiatement le poids de la frustration de ne pas avoir été le seul à décider du "comment" et du "quand" de notre action, de notre pensée, de notre émotion.

  En revanche, lorsque c'est nous qui agissons par le pouvoir, nous savourons la fascination, le goût, le fait que quelqu'un fasse les choses "comme je le dis" nous fait nous sentir "mieux", confondant l'idée que pour être là, il faut être "meilleur" que quelqu'un pour être traité comme "pire".

  Ne nous cachons pas derrière un doigt, cela se passe ainsi dans nos familles, à l'école, au travail, dans les associations, dans les grands mouvements, dans les clubs, parce que l'exercice du pouvoir déclenche une part inguérissable de nous-mêmes, l'instinct de survie et les tentations de l'autoréférence, de la carrière et même du népotisme.

  La logique évangélique de l'Évangile s'inscrit ici, dans la forme que nous choisissons de donner à un élément créaturel inguérissable, qui nous remet sans cesse en relation avec les autres, avec nous-mêmes et avec le Père. Jésus ne diminue en rien l'autorité de Moïse, la valeur de l'Ecriture, ce qui doit être renouvelé, converti, subverti, c'est la forme de vivre cette valeur qui, dans l'expérience des autres (scribes et pharisiens), semble avoir perdu sa validité originelle.

  La question n'est pas d'exercer son autorité, sa liberté, sa responsabilité, mais la forme dans laquelle nous choisissons quotidiennement de la vivre.

  L'évangile nous suggère le critère, celui de nous considérer comme "frères", de vivre des relations de fraternité, de n'attendre de personne qu'il s'agenouille à nos pieds, de traiter l'autre simplement comme "un autre" avec sa dignité.  "Vous êtes tous frères", il n'y a pas de meilleur ou de pire, mais nous pouvons tous nous reconnaître frères dans la mesure où nous nous reconnaissons fils.

 Et c'est là que peut-être la bonne nouvelle de l'Évangile subvertit les catégories de pouvoir, apprendre à se reconnaître comme fils, enfants du Père unique, c'est reconnaître que l'exercice de mon pouvoir n'est pas arbitraire mais qu'il doit être sain, digne, qu'il a pour seul critère de référence celui du Père. Ce n'est que dans la mesure où nous reconnaissons le pouvoir de service que le Père, en la personne de Jésus, a exercé et continue d'exercer quotidiennement dans la fécondité de l'histoire, et de toute histoire, que notre vie et nos relations seront celles de la création de rapports de fraternité.

 

LA LÓGICA DEL PODER Y LA LÓGICA DEL SERVICIO

 La lógica evangélica subvierte las categorías de poder

  "Sabéis que los que son considerados jefes de las naciones las dominan y sus jefes las oprimen. Pero entre vosotros no es así, sino que el que quiera hacerse grande entre vosotros será vuestro servidor, y el que quiera ser el primero entre vosotros será esclavo de todos. Porque tampoco el Hijo del hombre ha venido a ser servido, sino a servir y a dar su vida en rescate por muchos". (Mc 10, 2-16)

  -por Miriam D'Agostino

  La lógica del Evangelio subvierte las categorías del poder, y de todo poder grande o pequeño.

 Nadie está exento del ejercicio del poder, porque desde niños con un grito 'obligamos' a alguien a que cuide de nosotros, de nuestra hambre, de nuestra sed, de nuestra necesidad de cuidados, atenciones y mimos, y si ese 'alguien' falta o nos falta nos dejamos 'morir'.

  El poder tiene diferentes matices, diferentes lugares y momentos de ejercicio, diferentes formas y modos, diferentes lenguajes, accesorios, colaboradores y responsabilidades.

  Cuando alguien tiene poder sobre nosotros por horarios de trabajo, impuestos que pagar, tareas que hacer, sentimos inmediatamente el peso de la frustración por no haber sido nosotros quienes decidimos el 'cómo' y el 'cuándo' de nuestra acción, pensamiento, emoción.

  Cuando, por el contrario, somos nosotros los que actuamos por poder, saboreamos su encanto, su gusto, que alguien haga las cosas 'como yo digo' nos hace sentir 'mejor', confundiendo la idea de que para estar ahí hay que ser 'mejor' que alguien para ser tratado como 'peor'.

  No nos escondamos detrás de un dedo, sucede así en nuestras familias, en la escuela, en el trabajo, en las asociaciones, en los grandes movimientos, en los clubes, porque el ejercicio del poder desencadena una parte inerradicable de nosotros, el instinto de supervivencia y las tentaciones de la autorreferencia, de hacer carrera e incluso del nepotismo.

  La lógica evangélica del Evangelio encaja aquí, en la forma que elegimos dar a un elemento inerradicable de la criatura, que nos pone continuamente en relación con los demás, con nosotros mismos y con el Padre. Jesús no disminuye en absoluto la autoridad de Moisés, el valor de la Escritura, lo que hay que renovar, convertir, subvertir es la forma de vivir ese valor que en la experiencia de otros (escribas y fariseos) parece haber perdido su validez original.

  La cuestión no es ejercer la propia autoridad, la propia libertad, la propia responsabilidad, sino la forma en que cada día elegimos vivirla.

  El evangelio nos sugiere el criterio, el de considerarnos "hermanos", el de vivir relaciones de fraternidad, el de no esperar que nadie se arrodille a nuestros pies, el de tratar al otro simplemente como "otro" con su dignidad.  "Todos sois hermanos", no hay mejores ni peores, pero todos podemos reconocernos hermanos en la medida en que nos reconozcamos hijos.

 Y es aquí donde quizás la buena noticia del Evangelio subvierte las categorías del poder, aprender a reconocernos hijos, hijos del único Padre, significa reconocer que el ejercicio de mi poder no es arbitrario sino que para ser sano, digno, tiene el único criterio de referencia que es el del Padre. Sólo en la medida en que reconozcamos el poder de servicio con que el Padre, en la persona de Jesús, ha ejercido y ejerce cotidianamente en la fecundidad de la historia, y de toda historia, nuestro vivir y relacionarnos será el de crear relaciones de fraternidad.

martedì 15 agosto 2023

THE VOLUNTEERING: SERVICE AND PRAISE


Pope Francis: Today, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, we contemplate her ascending in body and soul to the glory of Heaven. Today’s Gospel also presents her to us as she ascends, this time “into the hill country” (Lk 1:39). And why does she go up there? To help her cousin Elizabeth, and there she proclaims the joyful canticle of the Magnificat. Mary ascends and the Word of God reveals to us what characterizes us as she does so: service to her neighbour and praise to God. Both of these things: Mary is the woman of service to neighbour, and Mary is the woman who praises God. The evangelist Luke, moreover, narrates the life of Jesus himself as an ascent upwards, towards Jerusalem, the place of his self-giving on the cross; and he also describes Mary’s journey in the same way. Jesus and Mary, in short, travel the same road: two lives that ascend upwards, glorifying God and serving brethren. Jesus as the Redeemer, who gives his life for us, for our justification; Mary as the servant who goes to serve: two lives that conquer death and rise again; two lives whose secrets are service and praise. Let us look more closely at these two aspects: service and praise.

Service. It is when we stoop to serve our brethren that rise: it is love that elevates life. We go to serve our brothers and with this service, we “ascend”. But serving is not easy: Our Lady, who had just conceived, travels almost 150 kilometres from Nazareth to reach Elizabeth’s house. Helping is costly, to all of us! We always experience this in the fatigue, patience and worries that taking care of others entails. Think, for example, of the kilometres that many people travel every day to and from work, and the many tasks they perform for others; think of the sacrifices of time and sleep in caring for a newborn or an elderly person; the effort in serving those who have nothing to offer in return, in the Church and in voluntary work. I admire voluntary work. It is tiring, but it is ascending upwards, it is reaching Heaven! This is true service.

Praise to God

 But service risks being barren without praise to God. Indeed, when Mary enters the home of her cousin, she praises the Lord. She does not talk about her weariness from the journey, but rather a song of jubilation springs from her heart. Because those who love God know praise. And today’s Gospel shows us “a cascade of praise: the child who leaps with joy in Elizabeth’s womb (cf. Lk 1:44); Elizabeth who utters words of blessing and “the first beatitude”: “Blessed is she who believed” (Lk 1:45); and everything culminates in Mary, who proclaims the Magnificat (cf. Lk 1:46-55). Praise increases joy. Praise is like a ladder: it leads hearts upwards. Praise raises souls and defeats the temptation to give up. Have you seen how boring people, those who live off gossip, are incapable of giving praise? Ask yourselves: am I capable of giving praise? How good it is to praise God every day, and others too! How good it is to live in gratitude and blessing instead of regrets and complaints, to raise our gaze upwards instead of wearing a long face! Complaints: there are people who lament every day. But see that God is near you, see that he has created you, see the things he has given you. Praise, praise! And this is spiritual health.

Service and praise. Let us try to ask ourselves: do I live my work and daily occupations with a spirit of service, or with selfishness? Do I devote myself to someone feely, without seeking immediate advantages? In short, do I make service the “springboard” of my life? And thinking about praise: do I, like Mary, exult in God (cf. Lk 1:47)? Do I pray, blessing the Lord? And, after praising him, do I spread his joy among the people I meet? Each one of you, try to answer these questions.

May our Mother, assumed into Heaven, help us to climb higher each day through service and praise.

www.vatican.va

 

domenica 23 aprile 2023

LAITY: MISSION AND SERVICE

Laity ministers 
must serve 

and 

never become 

self-referential

Pope Francis addresses participants in Plenary Assembly of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life and reflects on the meaning of ministeriality in the Church and on the role of laypeople which must be focused on mission and service.


By Lisa Zengarini

 Laypeople in the Church can and must carry out many instituted ministries, supplementary services, assignments, and offices, which, however, should "never become self-referential”, but always tend "to transform society" by bringing Christian values into the world.

Pope Francis made this remark on Saturday in his address to the members of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life as they concluded their Plenary Assembly on the theme “The laity and ministeriality in the synodal Church”.

Welcoming the participants in the Clementine Hall, the Pope reaffirmed that "the willingness to serve the brethren, and in them, to serve Christ" is the true motivation that must inspire any faithful who assumes an ecclesial task and  any commitment to Christian witness in the reality where he or she lives”

The origin of the ministeriality of the Church

Referring to the theme of the three-day session, Pope Francis reflected on the meaning of ministeriality in the Church and on the role of laypeople in this context.

He noted that when we speak of Church ministries in general, the thought immediately goes to “instituted” ministries such as the ones of lector, acolyte, and catechist “which are all well-known”.

However, he said, these instituted ministries “do not represent the full extent of the ministeriality of the Church, which is broader and, ever since the first Christian communities, regards all the faithful”.  

The  common priesthood of all the faithful based on Baptism

The Pope recalled that its origin lies in Baptism and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Indeed, the Sacrament is "the root of the common priesthood of all the faithful which is in turn expressed in the ministries”.

This is because all the baptized – whether lay people, celibate, married people, priests, religious – are Christifideles, that is believers in Christ, “and are therefore required to take part in the mission He entrusted to the Church, also through the assumption of specific ministries”.

The ministry of the laity in particular, the Pope continued, also “stems from the charism that the Holy Spirit distributes within the People of God for its edification”. This, the Pope said, explains even more clearly why the ministeriality of the Church cannot "be reduced merely to instituted ministries, but rather embraces a far vaster field”.

Participating  in the prophetic and regal function of Christ

Even today, "as in the first Christian communities, faced with particular pastoral needs, without resorting to the institution of ministries, pastors can entrust certain supplementary functions to laypeople, that is, temporary services, as in the case of the proclamation of the Word of the distribution of the Eucharist.”

Moreover, Pope Francis continued, “besides the instituted ministries, supplementary services, and other regularly entrusted offices, the laity can carry out a range of tasks, which express their participation in the prophetic and regal function of Christ: not only within the Church, but also in the environments where they live”, for example in reaching out to those affected by old and new forms of poverty, including migrants.

Family ministry

The Pope also mentioned the field of family ministry which is all the more relevant today in light of the many challenges the family is facing, and which was another focus of the Plenary.

Recalling the magisterium of Pope St. John Paul II and of Pope St. Paul VI, Pope Francis highlighted, amongst other things,  the educational mission of the family as a ministry of evangelization.

Mission and service

All these ministries, services, assignments and offices, the Pope emphasized, “must never become self-referential” and have two fundamental things in common: "Mission and service", because they “are an expression of the one mission of the Church and all are forms of service to others”.

“I like to emphasize that at the root of the term ministry there is the word minus, which means “minor”. And Jesus said so: those who command should make themselves the smallest, otherwise they do not know how to command. It is a small detail, but of great importance. Those who follow Jesus are not afraid to make themselves “inferior”, “minor”, to place themselves at the service of others. Indeed, Jesus himself taught us: “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mk 10: 43-44).”

Only by serving the brethren “and in them, Christ”, Pope Francis concluded, will “all the baptized be able to discover the meaning of their own life, joyfully experiencing being ‘a mission on this earth’ that is, being called, in different ways and forms, to ‘bring light, bless, enliven, raise up, heal and free’.

  

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS


 

lunedì 6 dicembre 2021

BROSTA' OLI MASI'

 


François aux jeunes à Athènes:

«Rêvez en grand!»

AR - EN - ES - FR - IT - PL - PT

Pour la dernière étape de son voyage en Grèce, le Saint-Père s’est rendu dans l’école Saint-Denys des sœurs ursulines à Maroussi, un quartier de la capitale grecque. Répondant à des témoignages de trois personnes, il a invité la jeunesse à ne pas se laisser paralyser par ses peurs et à prendre sa vie en main.

Après une chaleureuse cérémonie d’accueil, où les jeunes de l’école Saint-Denys ont notamment exécuté un ballet traditionnel, deux jeunes femmes grecques et un jeune lycéen originaire de Syrie ont livré au Pape François un témoignage de leur vie personnelle, auquel le Saint-Père a ensuite répondu dans son discours.

D’abord à Katerina, qui a confié ses moments de doutes, «ma foi est mise à l’épreuve lorsque je vois des personnes souffrir». François s’est directement adressé à la jeune femme: «N'ayez pas peur des doutes, car ils ne sont pas des manques de foi. Au contraire, les doutes sont des "vitamines de la foi": ils contribuent à l’affermir, à la rendre plus forte, c'est-à-dire plus consciente, plus libre, plus mature». Car la foi est précisément cela a-t-il ajouté, «un cheminement quotidien avec Jésus qui nous tient par la main, nous accompagne, nous encourage et, quand nous tombons, nous relève.»

Durant un moment de doute, a continué François, il faut se mettre «à l’écoute de votre grande culture classique», «Tout a commencé par une étincelle, une découverte, formulée par un mot magnifique: "thaumàzein". C’est l'émerveillement, l'étonnement. C'est ainsi que la philosophie est née, de l'émerveillement devant les choses qui sont: notre existence, l'harmonie de la création, le mystère de la vie.» L’étonnement est le début de la philosophie mais aussi de la foi, a éclairé le Souverain pontife devant sa jeune assemblée. «Le cœur de la foi n'est pas une idée ni une morale, mais une réalité, une très belle réalité qui ne dépend pas de nous et qui nous laisse sans voix: nous sommes les enfants bien-aimés de Dieu! Enfants bien-aimés: nous avons un Père qui veille sur nous sans jamais cesser de nous aimer.»

Changer de perspective

«Si nous nous tenons devant un miroir, peut-être que nous ne nous verrons pas comme nous le voudrions, car nous risquons de nous fixer sur ce que nous n'aimons pas. Mais si nous nous plaçons devant Dieu, la perspective change. Nous ne pouvons que nous émerveiller d’être pour lui, malgré toutes nos faiblesses et tous nos péchés, des enfants aimés depuis toujours et pour toujours», a continué l’éveque de Rome.

Au lieu de se placer devant un miroir, «pourquoi n’ouvres-tu pas la fenêtre de la chambre pour t’arrêter devant la beauté que tu voies? Et dis alors: “C’est pour moi, c'est un cadeau pour moi, mon Père! Comme tu m'aimes!”  Chers jeunes, pensez-y : si, à nos yeux, la création est belle, aux yeux de Dieu, chacun de vous est infiniment plus beau ! Il a fait de nous, dit l'Écriture, "des choses merveilleuses"(cf. Ps 139, 14). Laisse-toi envahir par cet émerveillement. Laisse-toi aimer par celui qui croit toujours en toi, par celui qui t’aime plus que tu ne peux t’aimer toi-même.»

Enfin, réagissant toujours au témoignage de Katarina, François est revenu sur un évènement à ne pas manquer : « l’émerveillement du pardon». «La joie de l'Évangile, l'émerveillement de Jésus, font passer au second plan les renoncements et les fatigues. Alors, d'accord? Repartons de l’émerveillement ! Où ? Dans la création, dans l'amitié, dans le pardon de Dieu, dans le visage des autres. »

Les visages des autres

Puis François a adressé une réponse au témoignage de Ioanna. «J'ai aimé le fait que, pour nous parler de ta vie, tu aies parlé des autres». La jeune femme a découvert la foi à travers sa mère et sa grand-mère. « Ainsi, Jésus t’est devenu familier. Comme il est heureux lorsque nous nous ouvrons à Lui ! C'est ainsi que l'on connaît Dieu. Parce que pour le connaître, il ne suffit pas d'avoir des idées claires sur lui, il faut aller à lui avec sa vie.» Jésus se transmet par des visages et personnes concrètes, a détaillé François. « Dieu ne nous met pas entre les mains un catéchisme, mais il se rend présent à travers les histoires des personnes. Il passe à travers nous ».

« Servir les autres est le moyen d’atteindre la joie», a continué le Saint-Père. «Se consacrer aux autres, ce n'est pas pour les perdants, c'est pour les gagnants; c'est le moyen de faire quelque chose de vraiment nouveau dans l'histoire». En effet, le service est la nouveauté de Jésus, a-t-il expliqué. « Ne te contente pas de quelques postes ou tweets. Ne te contente pas de rencontres virtuelles, recherche les rencontres réelles, surtout avec ceux qui ont besoin de toi: ne cherche pas la visibilité, mais ce qui est invisible. C'est original, révolutionnaire.»

Beaucoup de personnes sont « très réseaux sociaux mais pas très sociables», a regretté François, «repliés sur eux-mêmes, prisonniers du téléphone portable qu'ils ont à la main. Mais, sur l’écran, il manque l'autre personne, ses yeux, son souffle, ses mains ».

En Grèce, a-t-il continué, «il existe un dicton éclairant : "o filos ine állos eaftós", “l'ami est un autre moi”», car l’autre est le chemin pour se trouver soi-même. «Il est difficile de sortir de sa zone de confort, il est plus facile de s'asseoir sur le canapé devant la télévision. Mais c'est un vieux truc, ce n'est pas pour les jeunes. Les jeunes doivent réagir : lorsque l’on se sent seul, s'ouvrir; lorsque la tentation de se refermer sur soi-même vient, chercher les autres, s'entraîner à cette “gymnastique de l'âme”», a invité le Saint-Père.  

Odyssée des temps modernes

Enfin, le Saint-Père a répondu à Aboud, lycéen venu de Syrie avec sa famille, arrivée en Grèce sur un canot pneumatique. « Une véritable odyssée des temps modernes. Et il m’est venu à l’esprit que, dans l'Odyssée d'Homère, le premier héros qui apparaît n'est pas Ulysse, mais un jeune homme : Télémaque, son fils, qui vit une grande aventure.», a-t-il expliqué. Télémaque n’a jamais connu son père, il est angoissé et découragé, ne sait même pas s’il est vivant, mais il trouve le courage de partir.

«Le sens de la vie ne consiste pas à s'asseoir sur la plage en attendant que le vent apporte quelque chose de nouveau. Le salut est au large, dans l'élan, dans la recherche, dans la poursuite des rêves, les vrais, ceux qui se font les yeux ouverts, qui impliquent fatigue, lutte, vents contraires, tempêtes inattendues. Mais ne vous laissez pas paralyser par vos peurs, rêvez en grand ! Et rêvez ensemble !», a conseillé François avec enthousiasme. « Comme pour Télémaque, il y aura ceux qui essaieront de vous arrêter. Il y aura toujours ceux qui vous diront : “laisse tomber, ne prends pas de risque, c'est inutile”. Ce sont les assassins de rêves, les tueurs d’espérance, les nostalgiques incurables du passé. »

Aboud lui a eu le courage de l’espérance, a salué François. « Choisir est un défi. C'est affronter la peur de l'inconnu, c'est sortir du marécage de la standardisation, c'est décider de prendre sa vie en main. Pour faire de bons choix, vous pouvez vous rappeler une chose : les bonnes décisions concernent toujours les autres, et pas seulement soi-même. »

Sous les applaudissements Saint-Père a conclu sa prise de parole avec une expression grecque : «Brostà, óli masí», «En avant, tous ensemble».

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