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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.

lunedì 20 settembre 2021

THE GOVERNANCE IN LAY AGGREGATION

 


Authority and Responsibilities of Governance in Lay Aggregations:

 A service ordered to the common good

All the moderators and leaders of the movements of international associations before the Pope in the Vatican

  EN ES FR IT PT


On September 16, 2021, the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life summoned the moderators, presidents, and international leaders of all ecclesial movements, new communities, and associations recognized or erected by the Holy See to reflect on the theme “The responsibility of governance in lay aggregations. An ecclesial service”.

The core issue of the day was that of closely examining the themes included in the General Decree "The International Associations of the Faithful", with the aim of reflecting together on the exercise of authority in lay aggregations.

The Symposium, partially followed via videoconference because of the pandemic, took place in the New Synod Hall, with the participation of about 300 people who, in their various roles, share governance responsibilities in lay aggregations, as well as some of the Dicastery's members and consultants.

With great surprise, at 10:00 a.m. the Holy Father arrived in the Hall, addressing a heartfelt message to all those present and to those connected by videoconference. The Pope first of all expressed his gratitude to the institutions represented in the hall, for the evangelical witness they bear in the different circumstances of ordinary life.

Then, in his reflections on the theme of government as service, the Holy Father pointed out to the participants two obstacles that can arise when governing: "the desire for power", manifested in the "desire to be everywhere”, which undermines all forms of subsidiarity and makes those who govern believe they can make decisions regarding all aspects of the life of the association and the people who are part of it; and "disloyalty," typical of those who assume that they are the sole interpreters of the charism and, under the pretext of wanting to serve the Lord, serve only themselves. Therefore, continued the Holy Father, in order to carry out a role in governance, we must learn to consider ourselves as "unprofitable servants" (Lk 17:10), in order to remain humble and docile to God's will, just as Jesus showed us when he washed the disciples' feet.

When the Holy Father left the Hall, the Prefect of the Dicastery, Card. Farrell opened the session by immediately identifying "service" as the fundamental and indispensable aspect of the exercise of governance in ecclesial realities: service to the person, to the charism and to the mission of the Church. Moreover, Farrell stressed, such service can only be grasped in its ecclesial dimension. In this regard, he commented on the relationship between association governance and ecclesiastical authority, referring to the intrinsic and providential relationship that exists between charismatic and hierarchical gifts.

Then Msgr. Matteo Visioli, Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, took the floor. He focused his talk on the theological-ecclesiological foundation of the concept of authority in the Church, and highlighted its relational paradigm. He went on to formulate some of the consequences of exercising the Church's authority, in particular of its risks.

In the afternoon, Ms. Linda Ghisoni, Undersecretary for the Laity, structured her presentation in three parts: after an overview of the ecclesial realities affected by the Decree, the focal point of the meeting, she examined the transition from the charism of the founder to the collective charism. In this regard, the distinction made by Ms. Ghisoni between the charisms or personal gifts of the founder and the essential nucleus of the founding charism, which is destined to become collective and of which no one retains neither the imprint nor the ownership, was fundamental. In light of this distinction, it is clear that any personalization involves an attempt to appropriate a gift that is, from its origin, intended to be collective. Finally, in the last part of the speech, the Undersecretary of the Dicastery gave some practical indications on how to implement the mandates of government and the level of representativeness required by the General Decree.

Next, Eliana and Paolo Maino, founders of the Via Pacis Community and Don Stefano Aragno, Vice President of the Cenacolo Community, gave their testimonies.

The first to take the floor was Paolo Maino, who, having headed the Community he founded with his wife and Don Domenico Pincelli for 40 years, explained how he reached the decision to resign from the Presidency, a choice certainly not common for a young founder. And yet, reflecting in the presence of God, Paolo, together with Eliana, clearly saw that the Lord was asking something else of him: "leaving was necessary for the future of the Community". Today Paolo and Eliana ask themselves if this decision "was perhaps a turning point which God allowed so as to prompt an improvement of the Community itself".

Then came Don Aragno’s intervention that was particularly moving. He described the experience of "leaving" from a completely different point of view, since today it is he who has substituted its foundress, Mother Elvira, in the leadership of the Cenacolo Community. Don Aragno told us how the "step down" taken by Mother Elvira generated a greater awareness of the true protagonist of the history of the Cenacolo Community: the Holy Spirit, the source of the charism and the only founder. This awareness, said Don Aragno, matured precisely from that wise "detachment" from the personality of the foundress, which made all the members, especially those who belonged since the very beginning, more aware of the gift of grace received from God through her, and promoted a renewed and more authentic "yes" to the work to which the Lord called them.

The luncheon, served in the atrium of Paul VI Hall, was also a valuable opportunity for sharing, meeting and promoting dialog between the leaders of the associations and movements and the officials and superiors of the Dicastery.

The rest of the day was dedicated to questions and interventions from the participants.

To conclude the day, Card. Farrell revisited the highlights of the day's proceedings underlining the need for formation for all, and at all levels, in governance as well as service. Without a doubt, it was a very intense and enriching day, starting from the Holy Father’s words and thanks to an open sharing of the challenges and expectations common to all movements and associations in serving the Church.

  Address of the Holy Father Francis to participants in the Meeting with moderators, presidents, and international leaders of all ecclesial movements, new communities, and associations [IT]

 

  Photo Gallery

 

 

domenica 19 settembre 2021

IL PRIMATO DEL SERVIZIO - PRIMACY SERVICE - PRIMAUTE DU SERVICE - PRIMACIA DEL SERVICIO

-[AR - DE - EN - ES - IT - PL - PT]-


Papa Francesco:  Oggi la parola “servizio” appare un po’ sbiadita, logorata dall’uso. Ma nel Vangelo ha un significato preciso e concreto. Servire non è un’espressione di cortesia: è fare come Gesù, il quale, riassumendo in poche parole la sua vita, ha detto di essere venuto «non per farsi servire, ma per servire» (Mc 10,45). Così ha detto il Signore. Dunque, se vogliamo seguire Gesù, dobbiamo percorrere la via che Lui stesso ha tracciato, la via del servizio. La nostra fedeltà al Signore dipende dalla nostra disponibilità a servire. E questo, lo sappiamo, costa, perché “sa di croce”. Ma, mentre crescono la cura e la disponibilità verso gli altri, diventiamo più liberi dentro, più simili a Gesù. Più serviamo, più avvertiamo la presenza di Dio. Soprattutto quando serviamo chi non ha da restituirci, i poveri, abbracciandone le difficoltà e i bisogni con la tenera compassione: e lì scopriamo di essere a nostra volta amati e abbracciati da Dio.

Gesù, proprio per illustrare questo, dopo aver parlato del primato del servizio, compie un gesto. Abbiamo visto che i gesti di Gesù sono più forti delle parole che usa. E qual è il gesto? Prende un bambino e lo pone in mezzo ai discepoli, al centro, nel luogo più importante (cfr v. 36). Il bambino, nel Vangelo, non simboleggia tanto l’innocenza, quanto la piccolezza. Perché i piccoli, come i bambini, dipendono dagli altri, dai grandi, hanno bisogno di ricevere. Gesù abbraccia quel bambino e dice che chi accoglie un piccolo, un bambino, accoglie Lui (cfr v. 37). Ecco anzitutto chi servire: quanti hanno bisogno di ricevere e non hanno da restituire. Servire coloro che hanno bisogno di ricevere e non hanno da restituire. Accogliendo chi è ai margini, trascurato, accogliamo Gesù, perché Egli sta lì. E in un piccolo, in un povero che serviamo riceviamo anche noi l’abbraccio tenero di Dio.

 

Today, the word “service” appears a bit hackneyed, worn out by use. But it has a precise and concrete meaning in the Gospel. To serve is not a courteous expression: it means to act like Jesus, who, summing up his life in a few words, said he had come “not to be served, but to serve” (Mk 10:45). This is what the Lord said. Therefore, if we want to follow Jesus, we must follow the path he himself traced out, the path of service. Our fidelity to the Lord depends on our willingness to serve. And we know this often costs, because “it tastes like a cross”. But, as our care and availability toward others grows, we become freer inside, more like Jesus. The more we serve, the more we are aware of God’s presence. Above all, when we serve those who cannot give anything in return, the poor, embracing their difficulties and needs with tender compassion: and we in turn discover God’s love and embrace there.

After having spoken of the primacy of service, Jesus does something precisely to illustrate this. We have seen that Jesus’ actions are stronger than the words he uses. And what is that action? He takes a child and puts him in the midst of the disciples, at the center, in the most important place (cf. v. 36). In the Gospel, the child does not symbolize innocence so much as littleness. For like children, the little ones depend on others, on adults, they need to receive. Jesus embraces those children and says that those who welcome a little one, a child, welcome him (cf. v. 37). The ones who are to be served above all are: those in need of receiving who cannot give anything in return. To serve those who need to receive and cannot give anything in return. In welcoming those on the margins, the neglected, we welcome Jesus because He is there. And in the little one, in the poor person we serve, we also receive God’s tender embrace.

 

Hoy en día la palabra “servicio” parece un poco descolorida, desgastada por el uso. Pero en el Evangelio tiene un significado preciso y concreto. Servir no es una expresión de cortesía: es hacer como Jesús, que, resumiendo su vida en pocas palabras, dijo que había venido «no a ser servido, sino a servir» (Mc 10,45). Así dijo el Señor. Por eso, si queremos seguir a Jesús, debemos recorrer el camino que Él mismo ha trazado, el camino del servicio. Nuestra fidelidad al Señor depende de nuestra disponibilidad a servir. Y esto cuesta, lo sabemos, porque “sabe a cruz”. Pero a medida que crecemos en el cuidado y la disponibilidad hacia los demás, nos volvemos más libres por dentro, más parecidos a Jesús. Cuanto más servimos, más sentimos la presencia de Dios. Sobre todo cuando servimos a los que no tienen nada que devolvernos, los pobres, abrazando sus dificultades y necesidades con la tierna compasión: y ahí descubrimos que a su vez somos amados y abrazados por Dios.

Precisamente para ilustrarlo, Jesús después de haber hablado de la primacía del servicio, hace un gesto. Hemos visto que los gestos de Jesús son más fuertes que las palabras que usa. Y ¿cuál es el gesto? Toma un niño y lo coloca en medio de los discípulos, en el centro, en el lugar más importante (cf. v. 36). El niño, en el Evangelio, no simboliza tanto la inocencia como la pequeñez. Porque los pequeños, como los niños, dependen de los demás, de los adultos, necesitan recibir. Jesús abraza a ese niño y dice que quien recibe a un pequeño, a un niño, lo recibe a Él (cf. v. 37). Esto es, en primer lugar, a quién servir: a los que necesitan recibir y no tienen nada que devolver. Servir a los que necesitan recibir y no tienen para devolver. Acogiendo a los que están en los márgenes, desatendidos, acogemos a Jesús, porque Él está ahí. Y en un pequeño, en un pobre al que servimos, también nosotros recibimos el tierno abrazo de Dios.

 

Aujourd'hui, le mot "service" semble un peu fané, usé par l'usage. Mais dans l'Évangile, il a un sens précis et concret. Servir n'est pas une expression de courtoisie : c'est faire comme Jésus, qui, résumant sa vie en quelques mots, a dit qu'il était venu "non pour être servi mais pour servir" (Mc 10,45). C'est ce que le Seigneur a dit. C'est pourquoi, si nous voulons suivre Jésus, nous devons suivre le chemin qu'il a lui-même tracé, le chemin du service. Notre fidélité au Seigneur dépend de notre volonté de servir. Et c'est difficile, on le sait, parce que ça a "le goût de la croix". Mais à mesure que nous grandissons dans l'attention et la disponibilité envers les autres, nous devenons plus libres à l'intérieur, plus semblables à Jésus. Plus nous servons, plus nous ressentons la présence de Dieu. Surtout lorsque nous servons ceux qui n'ont rien à nous donner en retour, les pauvres, en embrassant leurs difficultés et leurs besoins avec une tendre compassion : et là, nous découvrons que nous sommes à notre tour aimés et embrassés par Dieu.

C'est précisément pour illustrer cela que Jésus, après avoir parlé de la primauté du service, fait un geste. Nous avons vu que les gestes de Jésus sont plus forts que les mots qu'il utilise. Et quel est ce geste ? Il prend un enfant et le place au milieu des disciples, au centre, à la place la plus importante (cf. v. 36). L'enfant, dans l'Évangile, ne symbolise pas tant l'innocence que la petitesse. Parce que les petits, comme les enfants, dépendent des autres, des adultes, ils ont besoin de recevoir. Jésus embrasse cet enfant et dit que celui qui reçoit un petit, un enfant, le reçoit Lui (cf. v. 37). Il s'agit avant tout de savoir qui servir : ceux qui ont besoin de recevoir et n'ont rien à donner en retour. Servir ceux qui ont besoin de recevoir et n'ont rien à donner en retour. En accueillant ceux qui sont en marge, délaissés, nous accueillons Jésus, car il est là. Et dans un petit, dans un pauvre que nous servons, nous aussi nous recevons la tendre étreinte de Dieu.


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