24
Apr
2016
This Week Letter – April 24, 2016
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
The effort of all generations is always moving in the same direction: to build a better, safer, more beautiful world. To make life easier, control disease, alleviate old age and make death painless. Admittedly, people have made a lot of progress through their collective effort.
The achievements are great but the losses are often great as well. Every successful civilization has brought new threats. For example, drugs reduce natural immunity. Cars pollute the environment, and destroy the ozone layer. Modern techniques bring new ways of killing others. Cellphones are the proverbial leash binding humans. And all of these things impose such a pace in our daily life, which along with the population density leads to a mutual aggression escalating to an unprecedented size. It is impossible to tell whether there is less or more physical suffering today than in the past. Social contrasts do intensify: wealth, education, access to medical treatment and culture.
This in turn causes inner suffering for many. There is a growing social isolation. As a result, many people experience loneliness while in a crowd.
This in turn causes inner suffering for many. There is a growing social isolation. As a result, many people experience loneliness while in a crowd.
So, is the prophecy about a new earth and a new heaven where pain and tears do not exist, misleading? God does not deceive us. But while promising us heaven – He gives us clear orders. A new heaven and a new earth – and at the same time a new commandment! We read it again today in the Gospel: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another as I have loved all of you.” There can be no question of a new heaven and a new earth, if the rules of our lives remain old: “an eye for an eye, or you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” We have many disgraceful principles which cannot be reconciled with the Gospel.
The worst one is that which makes self-interest a guiding principle, without regard for moral judgment. Until we start as a humanity, as a society, as neighbors, as families, as people to follow the commandment of love, we will never have peace, and all the comforts we have achieved as a civilization will turn against us.
It is surely worth it to make Jesus’ Gospel our moral compass. It is worth it today and until the end of time. And for a Christian, it is an absolute duty.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parishioners and friends for the great acts of kindness and generosity that you show not only on Sundays and holidays, but also during the many different occasions you visit our parish. A heartfelt thank you for your ministries in the church and in the rectory office . Also, thank you for all donations of food which are shared with the hungry and needy.
May the Lord reward you with good health and abundant blessings. God bless!
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