Immigration, Law, and Cynicism

People grow cynical with the ordered process of government when, over the course of years, they find repeatedly that the weightier issues of life and family, and of hopes for building a future that is not dominated by fear, are tossed back and forth between those charged with the responsibility of promoting the “general Welfare”. The spectacle of elected officials from every conceivable political angle running to microphones to take political advantage when once again the ball is dropped on a weighty issue only heightens the impression that it is all a great game.

Yes, we were disappointed that the Supreme Court ruling last week left millions of young people exposed to the dangers of being uprooted and tossed to countries of which they have no real memory. But it was the latest in long series of disappointments that have resulted from a game being played by public servants like a chess-match moving at iceberg speed-- all the while cynically raising hopes among the immigrant community that this time something will be done to make law a better instrument for the protection of human life and its inherent dignity.

Going back to the times of the previous administration, and through to the current one, immigration reforms have been formulated by presidents and debated in Congress. Strategies of delay and promises that "this time we will make it happen", followed by "its close but looks like no agreement will pass this year",  and then the inevitable "we will deal with this after the next election", have all contributed to the national embarrassment that we are currently seeing. Meanwhile, deportations continue and increase, families are separated, and children grow up without the benefit of a secure family life. The Court decision dashed the hopes of many, but its deadlock decision also stands as a marble-etched memorial to the failures in the other two branches of government.

Our system of government is a well-thought out equilibrium of limits and powers. In principle, the judiciary interprets the law. And in principle the legislature and the executive write and execute the law. But our law-making too often loses its mooring in the human reality, and the safeguarding of human goods is no longer the soul of the laws' devising. It is little more, now, than the agreed upon fiats of competing powers anxious to position themselves for the endless cycle of upcoming elections. Perhaps the players have been at this game so long, they do not realize it is a game.

The game is played, elections happen, and the radical incongruities between life and law go on. For a Catholic, especially, the inconsistency of the law is tragic. Neither party seems able to connect what should be obvious: human life and human lives deserve to be respected and protected in law. Immigration is a pro-life issue. But like the horror of selling the body parts of unborn babies only bites at the political conscience for a little while, so the slow killing of young people's hopes for a decent life only moves the powerful to shake their heads and think about how this may or may not affect the next election. As in 1 Kings 3: 16-28, our system seems more like the two women fighting over the baby, only there is no Solomon here, and both fighters seem quite willing to let the child be cut in two.

Yes, we have a fine form of government but even its fineness cannot compensate for human failure. Our system is never more open to ridicule than when strident interests control the levers behind a wizard's curtain. Perhaps that is a harsh description, and surely it does not do justice to the many conscientious public servants of both parties in both the executive and legislative branches. But let these servants be aware that the cynicism of which I speak is rampant, and many ordinary folks with no real power or influence often describe the operations of government in harsher terms. And by these perceptions commented and multiplied in cities and in small local communities, generations of young people are losing heart and losing hope in the possibility of a governance that honestly seeks to make laws by the light of justice. If even half of what we like to think of ourselves as a noble nation is true, rightly have the children of immigrants who live among us hoped for something better. Sadly, many have lost that hope: “It was just a story they told us as kids”, they say. “Maybe it never really was possible”.

The republic endures as long as the conviction remains that justice is both an ideal and a challenge for succeeding generations. It is distinguished from the law, and the law is its servant; it endures as long as we have a confidence that a reasonable though painstaking effort to “establish Justice” can in fact move forward. If the spectacle of game-playing continues, slowly but inexorably people give up on the notion that justice is about protecting the goods of human life, and that law is somehow related to that pursuit. We are sowing seeds of capriciousness and cynicism among the young, and we will one day wonder, if we do not already, how it is that they became adults without confidence in our own nobler ideals.

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San Cipriano sobre la voluntad de Dios

Cuando tienes dudas sobre la voluntad de Dios, o cuando alguien te pregunta sobre lo que un cristiano entiende de la voluntad de Dios, San Cipriano de Cartago nos dejó este texto breve y claro, en su estilo de "reserva en el modo de hablar". Ocurre esta lectura cada año en la Liturgia de las Horas, miércoles, XI semana del tiempo Ordinario. Un texto que aprecio muchísimo, y recomiendo para la meditación.

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Del tratado de san Cipriano, obispo y mártir, sobre el Padre Nuestro
Cap 15:

La voluntad de Dios es la que Cristo cumplió y enseñó. La humildad en la conducta, la firmeza en la fe, reserva en el modo de hablar, la rectitud en las acciones, la misericordia en las obras, la moderación en las costumbres; el no hacer agravio a los demás y tolerar los que nos hacen a nosotros, el conservar la paz con nuestros hermanos; el amar al Señor de todo corazón, amarlo en cuanto Padre, temerlo en cuanto Dios; el no anteponer nada a Cristo, ya que él nada antepuso a nosotros; el mantenernos inseparablemente unidos a su amor, el estar junto a su cruz con fortaleza y confianza; y, cuando está en juego su nombre y su honor, el mostrar en nuestras palabras la constancia de la fe que profesamos; en los tormentos, la confianza con que luchamos y, en la muerte, la paciencia que nos obtiene la corona. Esto es querer ser coherederos de Cristo, esto es cumplir el precepto de Dios y la voluntad del Padre.

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Ex Tractátu sancti Cypriáni epíscopi et mártyris De domínica oratióne (N. 15)

Volúntas autem Dei est quam Christus et fecit et dócuit. Humílitas in conversatióne, stabílitas in fide, verecúndia in verbis, in factis iustítia, in opéribus misericórdia, in móribus disciplína, iniúriam fácere non posse et factam posse toleráre, cum frátribus pacem tenére, Dóminum toto corde dilígere, amáre in illo quod Pater est, timére quod Deus est, Christo nihil omníno præpónere, quia nec nobis quicquam ille præpósuit, caritáti eius inseparabíliter adhærére, cruci eius fórtiter ac fidénter assístere, quando de eius nómine et honóre certámen est, exhibére in sermóne constántiam qua confitémur, in quæstióne fidúciam qua congrédimur, in morte patiéntiam qua coronámur: hoc est coherédem Christi velle esse, hoc est præcéptum Dei fácere, hoc est voluntátem Patris implére

Saint Cyprian of Carthage, on What God Wills

When you have a doubt about the will of God, or when someone asks you what a Christian understands of God's will, Saint Cyprian of Carthage offers this brief and clear text in his style of "reserve in speaking" . This reading occurs every year in the Liturgy of the Hours, Wednesday, XI week in Ordinary time. A text that I appreciate very much and recommend for meditation.

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From the Treatise of St Cyprian of Carthage, bishop and martyr, on the Lord's Prayer, no. 15:

"All Christ did, all he taught, was the will of God. Humility in our daily lives, an unwavering faith, a sense of modesty in conduct, reserve in speaking, justice in our acts, mercy in our deeds, discipline in our habits, refusal to harm others, a readiness to suffer harm, peaceableness with our brothers, a whole-hearted love of the Lord, loving him because he is Father, fearing him because he is God; preferring nothing to Christ who preferred nothing to us, clinging tenaciously to his love, standing by his cross with loyalty and courage whenever there is any conflict involving his honor and his name, manifesting in our speech the constancy of our profession and under torture confidence for the fight, and in dying the endurance for which we will be crowned -- this is what it means to wish to be coheir with Christ, to keep God's command; this is what it means to do the will of the Father."

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Ex Tractátu sancti Cypriáni epíscopi et mártyris De domínica oratióne (N. 15)

Volúntas autem Dei est quam Christus et fecit et dócuit. Humílitas in conversatióne, stabílitas in fide, verecúndia in verbis, in factis iustítia, in opéribus misericórdia, in móribus disciplína, iniúriam fácere non posse et factam posse toleráre, cum frátribus pacem tenére, Dóminum toto corde dilígere, amáre in illo quod Pater est, timére quod Deus est, Christo nihil omníno præpónere, quia nec nobis quicquam ille præpósuit, caritáti eius inseparabíliter adhærére, cruci eius fórtiter ac fidénter assístere, quando de eius nómine et honóre certámen est, exhibére in sermóne constántiam qua confitémur, in quæstióne fidúciam qua congrédimur, in morte patiéntiam qua coronámur: hoc est coherédem Christi velle esse, hoc est præcéptum Dei fácere, hoc est voluntátem Patris implore.

Verso traducido; A verse from the Spanish Breviary translated, (sort of..)

Himno de la Liturgia de las Horas:

Qué ves en la noche, 

dinos centinela?...

Muerto le bajaban

a la tumba nueva.

Nunca tan adentro

tuvo al sol la tierra.

A verse from the Spanish Breviary translated:

What see you at night,

O Watchman say?

Never so within

had earth the day,

as when dead he was lowered

to where night has sway

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The Family and Today’s Challenges: Reading Amoris Laetitia, part 3

I would like today to highlight a few points from the second chapter of Pope Francis’ letter. This chapter enters with realism and humility into the major challenges facing families today. In fact, the second chapter cannot really be understood without reference to the prior chapter, where the focus is on the primacy of biblical teaching and the example of Jesus. At the same time, the second chapter prepares us for what follows in the third, where the Pope invites us to direct our gaze to the face of Christ. This turn to the Lord, after identifying the contemporary challenges, is necessary and indispensable for a Christian, lest we fall into despair for having failed to seek and trust in the grace of God.

I recommend that you read carefully the analysis offered in the second chapter because the discernment of cultural, economic and technological currents forms part of our responsibility as Christians. The Word of God lived and transmitted in the heart of the Church guides us in this discernment, giving us light to distinguish between the good and the bad.

 

In general, the actual challenges identified in the second chapter cover an immense horizon, touching the border of history that we are living; it includes cultural changes, economic factors and technical advances that have made possible the manipulation of the human body. “Our time,” as a poet has said, “with a face of an enormous goodness”, says to us, “you will be like gods”. [i] The cultural crisis that we live has much to do with how to understand the power that we have achieved as human beings. To us it falls that we recognize and touch the wounds that result from the bad use of this power, and to apply the salutary remedies developed in the light of the Gospel.

The phenomenon of individualism seems to be a life-style option that opens up on account of these powerful human abilities; in this cultural environment it expresses itself as exaggerated self-sufficiency. The idea that one can maintain himself alone, without depending on the help of others, has been promoted as a kind of contemporary ideal. It implies not feeling obligated to take into account the circumstances of our neighbors. We are dealing with an overvalued value. In fact human maturity does imply that we have dominion over ourselves, and over our actions (as Saint Thomas teaches). [ii] Nevertheless, our age proposes as a schema to organize society the determination of our decisions and acts without any effective reference to the community around us. That is why the Pope (AL 33) notes the following:

On the other hand, “equal consideration needs to be given to the growing danger represented by an extreme individualism which weakens family bonds and ends up considering each member of the family as an isolated unit, leading in some cases to the idea that one’s personality is shaped by his or her desires, which are considered absolute”. […] Freedom of choice makes it possible to plan our lives and to make the most of ourselves. Yet if this freedom lacks noble goals or personal discipline, it degenerates into an inability to give oneself generously to others.

To be generous, an essential element for us to be able to experience the greatness of human life, can only be lived in relation to others persons. The fact that we all enter into this world depending on the family indicates that the world does not flourish on account of the fact that we are self-sufficient; on the contrary, from the beginning of our lives, the free, in this case parents, generously care for those who lack the ability to dominate their own actions, in this case the children. We enter into this world with relation already written into our very being. Adults are called to be generous with children, and children depend on adults. And with the passing of time, arriving at the noble maturity of life as children, and seeing that our siblings and our parents need our help, we encounter the essential call to respond with generosity.

 

We can respond with generosity to the lives around us, or we can try to build a life with no reference to people around us. The second option, that of an exaggerated self-sufficiency results in an isolated and lonely life. In extreme cases, it results in what the Pope describes as a narcissism destructive of the individual: Narcissism makes people incapable of looking beyond themselves, beyond their own desires and needs. Yet sooner or later, those who use others end up being used them- selves, manipulated and discarded by that same mind-set. (AL 39)

It seems clear that the indicated options between a life with little sense of responsible relations with others and a mature life, lived with reference to others, establishes the principal challenge of our time. It also seems to me that an exaggerated individualism has had a corrosive effect within families. The Pope has criticized this attitude within the Church and he has named it using the word “self-referential”. We can easily understand that this ecclesial malady has roots in a self-referential attitude that afflicts individuals, families and entire societies. And so, it is understandable why the Pope writes the following: This makes us see how important it is to insist on the rights of the family and not only those of individuals. The family is a good which society cannot do without, and it ought to be protected. (AL 44)

The Church, in the depth of her heart knows well that the Gospel clarifies what human experience adumbrates. The Parable of the Good Samaritan affirms the primacy of the relation against the modern myth of self-sufficiency. The discernment of the Church over the actual conditions in this world so economically and technologically powerful has everything to do with an essential question: how does this economy, this technology, and this society affect persons and the environment? An individual, a family, a society, and the world at large cannot exercise dominion without reference to the neighbor.

To exercise a power or exploit a technology cannot be decided in the abstract, as if our decisions deserved to be approved as good without reference to how they affect the young, the poor, the elderly, the environment, etc. The moral calculation that does not take into account that the human condition is essentially a condition in relation results in the tyranny of those who have economic and technological control and power over those who do not have it: “We are creatures, and not omnipotent. Creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift. At the same time, we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created.” (AL 56)

Precisely under this Christian and human insistence that we not forget our responsibilities to each other, the Pope speaks of the deeper wounds in our time. For example: “Euthanasia and assisted suicide are serious threats to families worldwide”. (AL 48) This is so because they offend the dignity of the person and because they institutionalize a culture wherein the powerful determine what happens to the life of the weak. In the end, under these kinds of laws it is the living who determine who lives and who dies. Similarly, this could be said of the technologies capable of manipulating embryos and discarding the lives of the un-born. In his letter, the Holy Father proposes our response to the migrant and those with special needs as a paradigmatic example of the kind of relational generosity we are called to show forth in our world today. Here I would stress that dedication and concern shown to migrants and to persons with special needs alike is a sign of the Spirit. Both situations are paradigmatic: they serve as a test of our commitment to show mercy in welcoming others and to help the vulnerable to be fully a part of our communities. (AL 47)

From this perspective, we understand why the Pope calls us to humanize the world economy. Despite the fact that the economic machine that moves the world is so powerful, at the same time it shows signs of grave weakness. This is seen in the high level of unemployment that afflicts the young, and the way it exploits the immigrant and the unborn. All of this gravely affects the simple and precious desire of many young people: to be able to establish a family.

At the risk of oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture which pressures young people not to start a family, because they lack possibilities for the future. Yet this same culture presents others with so many options that they too are dissuaded from starting a family”. In some countries, many young persons “postpone a wedding for economic reasons, work or study. Some do so for other reasons, such as the influence of ideologies which devalue marriage and family, the desire to avoid the failures of other couples, the fear of something they consider too important and sacred, the social opportunities and economic benefits associated with simply living together, a purely emotional and roman- tic conception of love, the fear of losing their freedom and independence, and the rejection of something conceived as purely institutional and bureaucratic”. (AL 40)

 

Paradoxically, in a world so advanced and that proposes the ideal of self-sufficiency, our young people feel insecure and are afraid, as if they lack the hopes to be able to forge a happy family life. As another poet once said: “This is for me the most revolutionary thought possible: not that everyone have power over the world, as was earlier sought, but, yes, that each one have a little power of his own self.” [iii] The Pope always looks toward the future, and tries to encourage our young people to overcome their fears with a heroism inspired by the grace of God:

We need to find the right language, arguments and forms of witness that can help us reach the hearts of young people, appealing to their capacity for generosity, commitment, love and even heroism, and in this way inviting them to take up the challenge of marriage with enthusiasm and courage. (AL 40) 

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[i] Javier Sicilia, “El diario de Esteban Martorus”

[ii] Prologue to the Second Part of the Summa Theologiae

[iii] William Ospina, “El dibujo secreto de América Latina”

La familia y los desafíos de hoy en día: Leyendo Amoris Laetitia 3

Hoy quisiera destacar algunos puntos del segundo capítulo de la carta del Papa Francisco. El capítulo entra con realismo y humildad a los desafíos más fuertes que afrontan las familias de hoy. De hecho, el segundo capítulo no se puede entender sin antes advertir a la previa, donde se expone la primacía de la enseñanza bíblica y el ejemplo de Jesús. Al mismo tiempo, el segundo capítulo nos prepara para lo que sigue cuando en el tercero, el Papa nos invita a dirigir nuestra mirada al rostro de Jesús. Esta vuelta al Señor, después de identificar los desafíos actuales, es necesaria e imprescindible para un cristiano, no sea que por falta de buscar y de confiar en la gracia de Dios la desesperación nos cause tropezar.

Les recomiendo leer cuidadosamente el análisis ofrecido en el segundo capítulo porque el discernimiento de las corrientes culturales, económicas y tecnológicas forma parte de la responsabilidad de todos nosotros como cristianos.  La Palabra de Dios vivida y trasmitida en el seno de la Iglesia nos guía en este discernimiento dándonos luz para distinguir entre lo malo y lo bueno.

En general los desafíos actuales identificados en el segundo capítulo abarcan un horizonte inmenso, tocando la frontera de la historia que estamos viviendo; incluye los cambios culturales, factores económicos, avances en las posibilidades técnicas de manipular el cuerpo humano. "Nuestra época," como dijo un poeta, "bajo el rostro de una enorme bondad," nos dice, "serán como Dioses". [i] La crisis de cultura que vivimos tiene mucho que ver con cómo entender el poder que hemos logrado como seres humanos. A nosotros nos incumbe reconocer y tocar las heridas que resultan debido al  mal uso de este poder y aplicar los remedios saludables bajo la luz del Evangelio.

El fenómeno del individualismo parece ser una opción de estilo de vida que se abre por causa de las capacidades poderosas del ser humano; en el ambiente cultural se expresa como una autosuficiencia exagerada. La idea de que pueda uno mantenerse solo, sin depender de la ayuda de otros, ha sido promovido como ideal contemporáneo. Implica el no sentirse uno obligado a tomar en cuenta la circunstancia del prójimo. Se trata de un valor sobrevalorado. De hecho la madurez humana implica que uno tiene dominio sobre sí mismo y sobre sus propios actos (como enseñaba Santo Tomás) [ii]. Sin embargo, nuestra época propone como esquema para organizar la sociedad la determinación de nuestras decisiones y actos sin referencia efectiva a la comunidad alrededor. Por eso el Papa nota (AL 33) lo siguiente:

“Un individualismo exasperado que desvirtúa los vínculos familiares y acaba por considerar a cada componente de la familia como una isla, haciendo que prevalezca, en ciertos casos, la idea de un sujeto que se construye según sus propios deseos asumidos con carácter absoluto». […] La libertad para elegir permite proyectar la propia vida y cultivar lo mejor de uno mismo, pero si no tiene objetivos nobles y disciplina personal, degenera en una incapacidad de donarse generosamente.”

Ser generoso, elemento esencial para experimentar la grandeza de la vida humana, solo se vive en relación con otras personas. El hecho de que todos llegamos a este mundo dependiendo de la familia indica que el mundo no florece por causa de que somos autosuficientes; al contrario, desde el inicio de nuestras vidas, los libres, en este caso los papás, cuidan con generosidad a los que faltan capacidad de dominar sus propios actos, en este caso a los niños. Entramos en este mundo con la relación ya inscrita en nuestro ser. Los adultos están llamados a la generosidad con los chiquillos, y los chiquillos dependen de los adultos. Y con el curso del tiempo, llegando a la madurez noble de nuestra vida como hijos, viendo que nuestros hermanos o nuestros papás necesitan nuestra ayuda, encontramos la llamada esencial de responder con generosidad.

Podemos responder con generosidad a las vidas a nuestro alrededor, o podemos tratar de construir una vida sin referencia a los demás. La segunda opción, la de autosuficiencia exagerada resulta en una vida aislada y solitaria. En caso extremo resulta lo que describe el Papa como un narcisismo destructivo del individuo mismo: ”El narcisismo vuelve a las personas incapaces de mirar más allá de sí mismas, de sus deseos y necesidades. Pero quien utiliza a los demás tarde o temprano termina siendo utilizado, manipulado y abandonado con la misma lógica" (AL 39)

Me parece claro que las opciones señaladas entre vida con poco sentido de relación responsable con los demás  y vida madura, vivida con referencia a otros, establece el desafío principal de nuestro tiempo.  Igual me parece que el individualismo exagerado ha tenido un efecto corrosivo dentro de la familia. El Papa ha criticado esta actitud dentro de la Iglesia y la  ha denominado con la palabra "auto-referencial". Fácilmente se entiende que aquel malestar eclesial tiene raíces en la actitud "auto-referencial" que aflige individuos, familias y hasta sociedades enteras.

Entonces, es entendible por qué el Papa dice lo siguiente: "tenemos que insistir en los derechos de la familia, y no sólo en los derechos individuales. La familia es un bien del cual la sociedad no puede prescindir, pero necesita ser protegida. La defensa de estos derechos es «una llamada profética en favor de la institución familiar que debe ser respetada y defendida contra toda agresión”. (AL 44)

La Iglesia, en la profundidad de su corazón sabe bien que el Evangelio aclara lo que la experiencia humana adumbra. La parábola del Buen Samaritano afirma la primacía de la relación contra el mito moderno de la autosuficiencia. Él discernimiento de la Iglesia sobre las condiciones actuales en este mundo tan económicamente y tecnológicamente poderoso tiene todo que ver con la pregunta esencial ¿cómo afecta esta economía, esta tecnología y esta sociedad a las personas y a la naturaleza? Un individuo, una familia, una sociedad y el mundo entero no pueden ejercer su dominio sin referencia al prójimo.

Ejercer un poder o explotar una tecnología no se decide en lo abstracto, como si nuestras decisiones merecieran ser aprobadas como buenas sin referencia a cómo afecta a los jóvenes, a los pobres, a los ancianos, al medio ambiente, etc. El cálculo moral que no toma en cuenta que la condición humana es condición esencialmente de relación, resulta en la tiranía de los que tienen control del poder económico y tecnológico sobre los que no lo tienen. "No caigamos en el pecado de pretender sustituir al Creador. Somos creaturas, no somos omnipotentes. Lo creado nos precede y debe ser recibido como don. Al mismo tiempo, somos llamados a custodiar nuestra humanidad, y eso significa ante todo aceptarla y respetarla como ha sido creada." (AL 56)

Precisamente bajo esta insistencia humana y cristiana de no olvidar nuestras responsabilidades unos a otros, el Papa habla de las heridas más profundas de nuestros tiempos. La eutanasia y el suicidio asistido son graves amenazas para las familias de todo el mundo (AL 48) porque ofenden la dignidad de la persona y porque institucionalizan una cultura donde los poderosos determinan que pasará con la vida de un débil. Al fin y al cabo, bajo estas leyes son los vivos los que determinan quien vive y quien muere. Igual se podría decir de la tecnología capaz de manipular embriones y descartar al no-nacido. En su carta, el Papa nos propone nuestra respuesta a los migrantes y a  los discapacitados como ejemplo paradigmático de la generosidad relacional que requiere el mundo de hoy: "Quiero subrayar que la atención dedicada tanto a los migrantes como a las personas con discapacidades es un signo del Espíritu. Porque ambas situaciones son paradigmáticas: ponen especialmente en juego cómo se vive hoy la lógica de la acogida misericordiosa y de la integración de los más frágiles". (AL 47)

Desde esta perspectiva entendemos por qué el Papa nos llama a humanizar la misma economía mundial. Por ser tan poderosa la máquina económica que mueve al mundo, al mismo tiempo muestra señas de grave debilidad. Esto se ve en el alto nivel de desempleo que aflige a los jóvenes, y en la manera que explota a los inmigrantes y no-nacidos. Todo esto afecta gravemente el sencillo y precioso anhelo de muchos jóvenes: poder establecer una familia.

«Aun a riesgo de simplificar, podríamos decir que existe una cultura tal que empuja a muchos jóvenes a no poder formar una familia porque están privados de oportunidades de futuro. Sin embargo, esa misma cultura concede a muchos otros, por el contrario, tantas oportunidades, que también ellos se ven algunos países, muchos jóvenes «a menudo son llevados a posponer la boda por problemas de tipo económico, laboral o de estudio. A veces, por otras razones, como la influencia de las ideologías que desvalorizan el matrimonio y la familia, la experiencia del fracaso de otras parejas a la cual ellos no quieren exponerse, el miedo hacia algo que consideran demasiado grande y sagrado, las oportunidades sociales y las ventajas económicas derivadas de la convivencia, una concepción puramente emocional y romántica del amor, el miedo de perder su libertad e independencia, el rechazo de todo lo que es concebido como institucional y burocrático». (AL 40)

Paradójicamente, en un mundo tan avanzado y que propone el ideal de autosuficiencia, nuestros jóvenes sienten inseguridad y miedo, como si les faltara esperanzas de poder forjar un camino alegre y en familia. Como dijo una vez otro poeta: “Ese, para mí, es el pensamiento más revolucionario posible: no que todos tengan el poder sobre el mundo, como se pretendía antes, pero sí que cada quien tenga un mínimo poder sobre sí mismo”. [iii] El Papa siempre mira hacia el futuro, y trata de animar a nuestros jóvenes a superar los miedos con un heroísmo inspirado por la gracia de Dios:

Necesitamos encontrar las palabras, las motivaciones y los testimonios que nos ayuden a tocar las fibras más íntimas de los jóvenes, allí donde son más capaces de generosidad, de compromiso, de amor e incluso de heroísmo, para invitarles a aceptar con entusiasmo y valentía el desafío del matrimonio. (AL 40)

  

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[i] Javier Sicilia, “El diario de Esteban Martorus”

[ii] Prólogo a la segunda parte de la Suma Teológica.

[iii] William Ospina, “El dibujo secreto de America Latina”

Feast of Corpus Christi; La Fiesta del Corpus

St. Thomas Aquinas presenting the Office of Corpus Christi to Pope Urban IV

Taddeo di Bartolo, Italian, ca. 1400

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And my limited means translation of the above verse from Miguel Hernández "Eclipse Celestial":

"In such limited means your abundance,

in such a paltry circle

in its colorless stuff

you Godform the wheat".

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And from Bruno Forte: "The Portal of Beauty":

"the Whole made its dwelling in the fragment once for all, drawing its every part towards the depths of divinity"

"El Todo hizo su morada en el fragmento de una vez por todas, atrayendo cada parte hacia las profundidades de la divinidad"

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And Something of my own:

DemasiadoMucho Verbo para sonar sonido,

Aparece nube luminosa,

O más de cerca tormenta de fuego,

Hasta que se vuelve tornado

tocando el suelo:

la Hostia Consagrada.

TooMuch Word for sound,

Seems a luminous cloud,

Or closer as a storm of flame,

Until a tornado touching the ground:

the Consecrated Host.

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The Eucharist: the pure "traditur" sustaining the Church:

The mystery handed on by the One who hands himself over before he is handed over.

La Eucaristía: el "traditur" puro que sostiene a la Iglesia:

El misterio a ella transmitido por Aquel que se entrega antes de ser entregado.

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In the act of creation, God did not fling the universe to a distant beyond. In God there is no beyond, only the monstrance within his heart.

En el acto de crear, Dios no lanzó el universo a un más allá lejano. En Dios no hay un más allá, sólo existe la custodia dentro de su corazón.

Procesión del CorpusChristi Brownsville: "En la custodia encontramos el Dios que siempre nos custodia en su corazón"

CorpusChristi Procession In Brownsville: "In the monstrance we encounter the God who holds us in the custody of his heart"

Venerar la presencia de Cristo en la Eucaristía es la mejor manera de aprender cómo verlo en los no-nacidos, los inmigrantes, los pobres.

To see the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is the best way to learn how to seek him in the unborn, the immigrant, the poor.

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