Times of crisis<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
In the gospels are recorded some apocalyptic texts.\u00a0 It is not easy to differentiate in these texts the message that can be attributed to Jesus from the concerns of the first Christian communities,<\/b> caught up\u00a0in tragic situations while they anxiously await, amid persecutions, the endtime.<\/p>\n
According to Luke, difficult times are not to be times of laments and discouragement.\u00a0 It is not the time to be resigned or to flee either.<\/b>\u00a0 Jesus has another idea.\u00a0 Times of crisis precisely are to \u201clead to your giving testimony.\u201d\u00a0 It is then that we are given the best opportunity to give witness to our adherence to Jesus and his program.<\/p>\n
We have, for five years already, been going through a crisis that is hitting many people hard.\u00a0 By now, what happened allows us already to know realistically the social harm and suffering it is generating.<\/b>\u00a0 Hasn\u2019t the moment come to ask ourselves how we are reacting?<\/p>\n
Perhaps, the first thing is to look again into our fundamental attitude:\u00a0 Have we taken a responsible stance, awakening in us a basic sense of solidarity<\/b>, or are we living with our backs turned on everything that can disturb our tranquility?\u00a0 What are we doing, starting from our groups and Christian communities?\u00a0 Have we drawn a line of action that is generous, or do we live celebrating our faith on the sidelines?<\/p>\n
The crisis is opening an unjust social rift between those of us who can live without fear of the future and those who are being excluded from society and being deprived of a dignified outcome.\u00a0 Don\u2019t we feel the call to introduce some \u201ccuts\u201d in our life so that the next few years we live more soberly and in greater solidarity with others?<\/b><\/p>\n
Little by little we are getting to know more closely those who are becoming more helpless and without means<\/b> (families without any income, the long-term unemployed, sick immigrants \u2026).\u00a0 Do we bother opening our eyes to see if we can make the commitment to alleviate the situation of some people?\u00a0 Can we think of some realistic initiative coming out of our Christian communities?<\/p>\n
We must not forget that the crisis does not only create material impoverishment.\u00a0 It gives rise, besides, to insecurity, fear, powerlessness and experience of failure.\u00a0 It ruins plans, sinks families, destroys hope.\u00a0 Don\u2019t we have to recover the importance of help among families, support among neighbors, acceptance and companionship from the Christian community \u2026?\u00a0 Few things can be nobler at this time than our learning to care for one another.<\/b><\/p>\n
Jos\u00e9 Antonio Pagola<\/b><\/p>\n
November 17, 2013
\n33 Ordinary Time (C)
\nLuke 21, 5-19<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"