Ignatian Spirituality in Fratelli Tutti
Xavier Jeyaraj. As a Jesuit and more so as the head of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat for the Society of Jesus, I found Fratelli Tutti (FT), to be an amazing synthesis of the social teachings of Pope Francis over the last 7 ½ years. Unlike other encyclicals that refer quite frequently to saints, previous Popes, previous encyclicals and biblical texts, this one draws references from his own various addresses, homilies, international meetings, writings, discourses and more specially from Laudato Si’ (LS). In FT, one can find myriad ideas that could help one to enter into a serious study, prayer and reflection for days and months. (more…)
Chaos or Wind
Víctor Codina. If we were to search for a wore that might sum up all that we are living in these months of pandemic, something unforeseen that has shaken by their roots life, wellness, the economy, work, the institutions and customs of all humankind and has made us feel vulnerable, without our having either a definitive solution or a clear future, perhaps the most adequate word would be “chaos”.
The Dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language defines chaos in a way that is somewhat surprising: “The state of confusion in which everything was found at the moment of creation, before God placed them in the order that they had afterwards. Confusion; disorder.”
Clearly, this definition of chaos alludes to the beginning of the book of Genesis: “The earth was chaos and confusion (tohu waboho) and darkness over the abyss and a wind (in Hebrew, feminine, la ruah) from God fluttered over the waters.” (Genesis 1:2). (more…)
But Where Has Grandma Gone?
Víctor Codina. A little while ago, I read an article by a psychologist in a newspaper who, in the context of the current pandemic, recommended that we should not hide the reality of death from children, by telling them that grandma has gone away or is on a holiday, but rather that we should tell them honestly if she has died. It was advised that a child be told in stages, first of the illness, then of its seriousness, and finally of the death of their grandmother.
Up to here everything is fine, but children who ask questions that even adults don’t dare to ask, will surely continue to ask: but where has grandma gone? (more…)
To Speak or Be Silent about God
Darío Mollá. I confess that I feel very uncomfortable with much of the “discourse” about God that I have been hearing in the midst of the tragedy that we are living. They are words that “take advantage” of this enormous tragedy and this terrible failure that is the pandemic of COVID-19 to talk about God, of our needs, of how poor we humans are and of how necessary He is. Something like “you see how mistaken you were.” I don’t dispute the part of that reasoning that is true, but I am annoyed by a certain tone and a certain opportunism involved in talking about God “now” that human weakness is being exposed in all of its dimensions. I refuse to believe in a God who in order to grow in importance and manifest Himself needs human failure. Is that the God who was proclaimed by Jesus when He said “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10)? Or are we reverting to saying that this life neither matters nor is worth anything and what really matters is the “other” life? And so, from that comes the question with which I started this reflection: is it time to talk about God or be silent about God? Maybe, in order not to appear so radical, I can formulate the question in another way. Of which God should we speak? How should we speak about God? (more…)
Active Hope
Miguel González Martín. In these moments of so much uncertainty and pain, hope emerges as an emotion, a virtue, a “holy idea” that needs to be cultivated, both personally and collectively. There are many good things written in this blog about it. I only bring it to mind because during these days of confinement I have had occasion to reread a book that La Llave press did well to translate and publish two years ago.
“Active Hope: How to Face the Global Disaster without Going Crazy” is written by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone. The former is perhaps better known as an activist for social and environmental justice, a philosopher and expert on Buddhism. In these days she turns 91 years old. Along with her is a medical doctor and therapist specializing in the psychology of resilience. Between the two of them, they trace a practical itinerary to strengthen our capacity for giving a response, from deep within each person and group, to the climate emergency of our world. We can say that the book is situated at the crossroads of social and political activism and spirituality. They intersect where social change and personal change shake hands and reinforce each other. It is a spirituality with the strong imprint of Tibetan Buddhism although, in my humble opinion, it is accessible to everyone and has a very familiar ring to those with a Christian spirituality. (more…)
“Do not be afraid”
Víctor Codina. We will not easily forget the impactful white figure of Pope Francis, walking alone and in silence, on a dark and rainy Roman afternoon, from the Basilica of St. Peter to his seat in the totally empty Plaza, so that he could speak from there to the world. It brings to mind that other image of Francis going alone and on foot through the concentration camp at Auschwitz. (more…)
God and the coronavirus
Jesús Martínez Gordo. “Now that we have realized that neither God nor prayer are good for anything, it would be a good time to give the money budgeted by the Government for the Church to the health department.” That was contained in one of the WhatsApp messages that I received in these days. Beside the fact that there is always someone who, taking advantage of the fact that St. Joseph was a carpenter, wants to talk about confession, I am interested in reflecting out loud about an old question which was posed more than two millennia ago by Epicurus. It has reappeared now with particular force: “Does God wish to prevent evil in the world but He is unable to do that? Then God is impotent. Can he prevent it but chooses not to? Then God is malevolent. Can God wish to prevent it and be able to do that? If so, then why does evil exist?” (more…)
Where is God?
Víctor Codina. Fortunately, along with the terrifying and almost unhealthy television news programs about the pandemic, there have appeared alternative voices that are more positive and filled with hope.
Some people turn to history to remind us that humanity has gone through and overcome other times of plagues and pandemics like those of the Middle Ages and the one of 1918 after the First World War. Others are surprised at the attitude of the countries of Europe, unified in combatting the virus when until now they have differed about climate change, immigrants and acquisition of armaments. This is surely because this pandemic breaks through borders and affects the interests of those in power. It is now the turn of the people of Europe to suffer something of what has afflicted the refuges and immigrants who are not able to cross those same borders. (more…)
