Nonetheless, this mystery [of "the fullness of time"] constantly clashes with the dramatic experience of human history. Each day, as we seek to be sustained by the signs of God’s presence, we encounter new signs to the contrary, negative signs which tend to make us think instead that He is absent. The fullness of time seems to fade before the countless forms of injustice and violence which daily wound our human family. Sometimes we ask ourselves how it is possible that human injustice persists unabated, and that the arrogance of the powerful continues to demean the weak, relegating them to the most squalid outskirts of our world. We ask how long human evil will continue to sow violence and hatred in our world, reaping innocent victims. How can the fullness of time have come when we are witnessing hordes of men, women and children fleeing war, hunger and persecution, ready to risk their lives simply to encounter respect for their fundamental rights? A torrent of misery, swollen by sin, seems to contradict the fullness of time brought by Christ. Remember, dear pueri cantores, this was the third question you asked me yesterday: how do we explain this… even children are aware of this.
And yet this swollen torrent is powerless before the ocean of mercy which floods our world. All of us are called to immerse ourselves in this ocean, to let ourselves be reborn, to overcome the indifference which blocks solidarity, and to leave behind the false neutrality which prevents sharing.
–Pope Francis, homily, Jan. 1, Solemnity of the Mother of God and World Day of Peace
10 responses to “”
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I’ve read this three times, although the first two times, I only had time to skim through it. This last time when I got to the end, I was struck by the juxtaposition of the last paragraph and the picture of the Perfect World building below it. Two things came to mind.
First, was the difference between the Perfect World that many people think that that are building and the horrific world that they are indeed bringing about. Second, is that the means of bringing about the real perfect world–the Kingdom of God–is to submerge ourselves in that ocean of mercy, which means that we are to submerge ourselves in the misery of others. That is easy to say, I guess. I suppose the best we can do to begin is to get our toes wet. One spiritual or corporal work of mercy a day, maybe?
AMDG -
Actually do something? Oh no!
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It’s funny that you should say that right now, as I’ve been wrestling with my conscience this morning about whether to go help somebody move, which would probably take the whole rest of the day.
I won, by pleading back problems and things needing doing at home. Probably not a very noble victory. -
Well, I guess that depends on whether the things at home really need doing. I say that because I read a passage from St. Francis de Sales this morning–a passage that I am too lazy to quote accurately because the book is in another room–that it’s better to fulfill your duties at home first than to go around doing other things while your duties are left undone. This makes me think of Mrs. Jellyby, about whom I almost said something in my first comment.
My problem is that I want to sit around and watch movies while both my duties and my good deeds remain undone. So now I’ll go fold laundry–of course, you can fold laundry while you watch a movie if it’s in English.
AMDG -
It is stuff that needs doing, so it wasn’t an open and shut case. Though actually getting to the stuff that needs doing is, as you suggest, another problem in itself.
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By the way I am not watching Seven Samurai today. 🙂 I only meant that it’s in progress. It’s my weekday lunchtime viewing.
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Well, I’m really not sure where to put this comment,but I will put it here.
Bill and I watched Rashomon, and it absolutely is the perfect compliment to the quote above. I read the quote to Bill and he agrees.
AMDG -
Just read that Justice Scalia has died. Very bad news for religious liberty in this country.
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Yes, indeed. But then, we lost the last big decision with on the court.
AMDG -
Right, and there was certainly no guarantee that other decisions to come wouldn’t be similarly lost. But there was always at least a chance that Kennedy would swing Scalia’s way. I guess now there will be a simple left-wing majority, period. Funny how the justices chosen by Democrats stay liberal (I think) but the ones chosen by Republicans frequently appear conservative but either never were or “grow” in office.
I’m glad I went off Facebook for Lent. I imagine my left-wing friends and acquaintances are rejoicing, perhaps gloating.
Light On Dark Water 
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