Exemplary encounter and Life at the unknown peak

(Lk 6:36-38)

 

Is it possible to put the Gospel under exemplary "Measure" - e.g. of (retributive) Law or of First Testament and Tradition?

No, it would not build Family. And the culmination of this kind of experience would be an ethnic or elitist prerogative.

Configuration and proposal that would give birth everywhere to a grey, slavish, fragile world; incapable of dialogue and unknown discoveries.

 

After feeling separated from a humanising and divine quality of life, only the awareness of reconciliation can transform environments and people.

Such is the living Jesus in community.

He immerses his intimates in a new experience of fluid understanding, devoid of pride - despite being 'devout'.

Without, in fact, assuming prissy or photocopied attitudes.

It is then that humility effortlessly floods us, bringing Charity to the summit: in the heavenly set-up of the Gratis that shifts the gaze.

 

By suppressing, artifices inexorably close off the joy of living.

They harness it in manners, in the endless accentuation of effort - against oneself, and against the world of others.

Conventions, standard duties and reactions, never contain the benevolent, incisive energies of growth.

We see it in the lives of the saints: listening deeply, letting it be... and Forgiveness, they increase love a hundredfold.

It becomes the source of incredible gestures in favour of one's neighbour; in the accentuated realisation, in the care, in the free hospitality, in the total and unrestricted gift.

 

There is always a need for the contribution of new energies and situations - even intimate ones - and their surprises.

Not discarding the naivety of others means having learnt to welcome our own frailties and oppositions.

The world begins to change when we accept ourselves, in the experience of the appreciation of the God-With-We.

This is how we learn to perceive Beauty, instead of dryness and detachment: that which makes life more intense and at the same time smooth.

 

Even the knowledge of God is not a confiscated commodity or an acquired science, already inwardly and outwardly foreclosed.

It moves from one action and another, unceasingly; it is realised in an ever-living Encounter, which neither blocks nor dissolves the personality of each one.

 

The criterion of acceptance (albeit of varied goods for the soul), the principle of remission, coexistence, communion (even of multiple, even material resources) have been the main catalysts for growth.

Right from the earliest churches, the vector of mercy, even in summary, in petty things, was the source and meaning of all the formulas, of all the signs of the nascent liturgy itself.

The existential and spiritual centre to which to converge.

 

Here was the reconciliation of friction between customs and less closed conceptions, between bell towers and internal tribes, traditionalists and avant-gardists; and so on.

In the Spirit of Providence, every composition is not simply a work of magnanimity proper to those who seek always to look ahead.

It is the beginning of the future world; the beginning of an unforeseeable and unspeakable adventure, even a scapegoat.

And we in such a kingdom are suddenly reborn. Reborn; as if sprung from the new humanity, the condition of authentic children.

Generated again by the Father, who grants everything and everyone: because we have come into frank contact, in the Person of Christ.

 

In short, Christian Forgiveness is not the common 'positive look'. Nor does it have anything to do with so-called 'positive thinking'.

Tolerance of children is not a simplistic 'going beyond' in an artificial sense. As in pretending nothing has happened and turning a blind eye [in a blunt, sometimes intimately contemptuous manner].

The spirit of understanding to which we are called does not derive from good-natured paternalism, which only saves manners.

It is God's newness that creates an environment of Grace - with enormous possibilities, bursting forth from diverse energies.

Novelty that breaks through to shatter primates, stagnant balances.

It does so through an impossible opening of credit - with a lordship of qualities and perspectives.

Scenarios that regenerate and reactivate individuals, families, fraternities; the whole world.

All so that we are freely placed in the position and reciprocity that enables us to reveal the hidden - astounding - meaning of being and vocation.

The very reason why we were born.

 

Per-gifting is a surplus restitution of all lost dignity. Indeed, far beyond.

It does not just put us back on our feet; it does not just restore. It enhances and strengthens the dull.

It transforms the mediocre or those who approach despite having a different sensibility, heavy baggage, and the voiceless... into outriders and brilliant inventors.

Because what was unthought of yesterday, tomorrow will be clarifying and driving force.

In the wake of different visions or expectations, confusions will make sense. 

The clearing of the fog will not be achieved by the normal, enlisted hearts, always indulgent towards themselves but stern when anyone touches their interests and habitual automatisms.

The work of healing, of recovering the scattered being - the therapy of real problems - will arise rather through the work of the despised and intruders.

Scorned, despised, eccentric, shaky - out of every turn and predictability.

Leavened dough. Not self-referential.

 

These are the authentic virtuosos. Principle of Catholicity, understood as a wide field.

The Pearls of the New Pastoral: those who help not to mark too many ideal boundaries.

 

"There is a happy formula of St. Vincent de Lérins who, comparing the growing human being and the Tradition that is transmitted from one generation to the next, affirms that one cannot preserve the "deposit of faith" without making it progress: "consolidating with the years, developing with time, deepening with age" (Commonitorium primum, 23.9) - "ut annis consolidetur, dilatetur tempore, sublimetur aetate". This is the style of our walk: realities, if they do not walk, are like waters. Theological realities are like water: if water does not flow and is stale, it is the first to go rotten. A stale Church begins to be putrefied [...].

And here I would like to point out that even on the concept of "the people of God" there can be rigid and antagonistic hermeneutics, remaining trapped in the idea of an exclusivity, of a privilege, as happened with the interpretation of the concept of "election" that the prophets corrected, indicating how it should be correctly understood. It is not a privilege - to be God's people - but a gift that someone receives ... for himself? No: for all, the gift is to give it: this is the vocation [...].

Why do I tell you these things? Because in the synodal journey, listening must take into account the sensus fidei, but it must not overlook all those 'presentiments' embodied where we would not expect it: there may be a 'sniff without citizenship', but it is no less effective.

The Holy Spirit in his freedom knows no boundaries, nor does he allow himself to be limited by affiliations. If the parish is the home of everyone in the neighbourhood, not an exclusive club, I recommend: leave the doors and windows open, do not limit yourself to considering only those who attend or think like you - that will be 3, 4 or 5%, no more. Allow everyone to come in... Allow yourself to go out and let yourself be questioned, let their questions be your questions, allow yourself to walk together: the Spirit will lead you, trust the Spirit. Do not be afraid to enter into dialogue and let yourselves be moved by dialogue: it is the dialogue of salvation'.

[Pope Francis, Address to the Diocese of Rome 18 September 2021].

 

Says the Tao Tê Ching (LIX):

"When no one knows his culmination, he can possess the kingdom".

 

Life of pure Faith in the Spirit.

It is the paradoxical and unprecedented 'mechanism' that makes one assess the crossroads of history, unravelling the knots of real questions.

It not only overcomes, but rather supplants difficult moments - bringing us back to the true path.

And it orients reality to the concrete good; multifaceted, not one-sided.

It makes reality itself soar in the wonder of the Spirit, which is unleashed in a more important way than usual - towards itself.

 

 

To internalise and live the message:

 

Do you see in your community that someone claims to commandeer the datum of Faith, turning it into measured, predictable duty?

In your opinion, what description of God's work does it convey?

Conversely, what unimaginable and out-of-scale effect has your first or minimal involvement in the life of Faith-love produced?

 

 

Forgiveness and Faith: Living Encounter

 

Free eccentric, forward: Sacrament of humanity as such

(Lk 17:1-6)

 

The knowledge of God is not a confiscated commodity or an acquired and already foreclosed science: it moves from one action and another, unceasingly; it is realised in an ever-living Encounter, which does not block or dissolve us.

Typical, the experience of the "little ones" [mikròi v.2]. From the earliest communities of faith, they have been those who lacked security and energy; unstable and without support.

Since time immemorial, "Little Ones" have been the incipients; the new ones, who have heard of Christian brotherhood, but are sometimes forced to stand in line, aside, or give up the journey.

But the criterion of welcome, tolerance, communion even of material goods, has been the first and main catalyst for the growth of the assemblies.

Even the origin and meaning of all the formulas and signs of the liturgy.

The existential and ideal centre to which to converge. For a proactive and in itself transformative Faith.

 

In the Spirit of the Master, even for us the conciliation of friction is not simply a work of magnanimity.

It is the beginning of the future world. The beginning of an unpredictable and unspeakable adventure. And we with it suddenly reborn: coming into frank contact in Christ. He who does not extinguish us at all.

Hence the Christian forgiveness of children, which is not... 'looking positive', and 'turning a blind eye': rather, Newness of God that creates an environment of Grace, propulsive, with enormous possibilities.

Force that breaks through and paradoxically lets the dark poles meet, instead of shaking them off. Genuinely eliminating useless comparisons, words and ballasts, which block the transparent Exodus.

Dynamics that guide one to the indispensable and unavoidable: waves to shift one's gaze. Teaching one to notice one's own hysterics, to know oneself, to face anxiety, its reason; to manage situations and moments of crisis.

Mouldable virtue that places one in intimate listening to the personal essence.

Hence, solid, broad empathy that introduces new energies; it brings one's own deep states, even standard life, together... arousing other knowledge, different perspectives, unexpected relationships.

Thus without too much struggle it renews us, and curbs the loss of veracity [typical, that in favour of circumstantial manners]. It accentuates capacities and horizons of Peace - crumbling primates, swampy balances.

The discovery of new sides of the being that we are, conveys a sense of better wholeness, then spontaneously curbs external influences, dissolves prejudices, does not make one act on an emotional, impulsive basis.

Rather, it puts us in a position to reveal the hidden and astounding meaning of being. It unfolds the crucial horizon.

 

Activating 'Forgiveness' is gratuitously a surrender of one's character range, of all lost dignity, and far beyond.

By laying down sentences, the art of tolerance expands the [also intimate] gaze. It enhances and strengthens the dull sides; those we ourselves had detested.

In this eccentric way it transforms those considered distant or mediocre [mikroi] into outriders and brilliant inventors. For what was unthought of yesterday will be clarifying and driving tomorrow.

Confusions will make sense - precisely because of the thinking of the minds in crisis, and because of the action of the despised, intruders, outside of all spin and predictability.

Life of pure Faith in the Spirit: i.e., the imagination of the 'weak'... in power.

Because it is the paradoxical mechanism that makes the crossroads of history assess, activates passions, creates sharing, solves real problems.

And so it supplants difficult moments forwards (bringing us back to the true path) by orienting reality to the concrete good.

Making it fly towards itself.

 

The 'win-or-lose' alternative is false: we must get out of it. It is in such 'emptiness' and Silence that God makes His way.

Mystery of Presence, overflowing. New Covenant.

 

 

Increasing faith: a dull, intimidated life, or the door of hope

 

Perhaps we too have been inculcated with the idea that we must ask for faith, so that God will increase it for us. Instead, we have a say, but not in the sense of a plea to Heaven.

Faith is a gift, but in the sense of a relational, face-to-face proposal and initiative; that asks for welcoming perception. Therefore, it does not grow by falling from a packet - as if by precipice, or by infusion from above. Even forcing it, and convincing the Father.

Nor is it a simple assent linked to good-naturedness. It is not a baggage of notions that some have and prove right; others less so, or not at all.

In falling in love one can be more or less involved!

Faith is not believing that God exists, but adhering to a springing suggestion that (without imposition) guides us to disregard reputation.

The person of Faith cares not for expense or risk, even for the lives of others. He holds particular customs in abeyance; he does not put circle affections first. Forgives without limit.

Often we agree only in part and accept a little bit - perhaps until love goes all the way, or calls us into question.

Thus the head, the quirks, the concatenation of values, and the small world to which we are attached.

 

Increasing Faith? The Gift is not a gift, but an Appeal.

Therefore, Jesus does not even respond to such a ridiculous request - nevertheless, it makes one think about the results of possible adherence.

All it would take is the slightest involvement and there would be extraordinary results in the world (v.6); in community, in families and in personal life.

We would achieve the impossible and important. Real problems would be solved. Even the simplest actions would be transformed.

Then there are great events planted in every man's heart, which we perhaps consider unrealisable: e.g. universal brotherhood, victory over hunger, a dignified and beautiful life for all, a world and a Church without volatile, corrupt and vain characters.

Because we consider them impossible situations, we don't even begin to build them - we immediately drop our arms.

But maturation is the result of secret sides, not of impermeable mental armour. 

As a Nobel Prize winner said: 'The innocent did not know that their project was impossible, that is why they carried it out'.

And it is not that after a life spent in service - at the bidding of the Principal - in the hereafter we will finally command, on the basis of the rank we have attained [although this too may have been passed on to us].

One of the wonders that Faith in Christ accomplishes in us - here and now - is to make us aware of the beauty and joy of having the freedom to come down from the pedestals we have already identified, in order to favour the full life (of all).

And at the 'end of the month' - at the 'reckoning' or the 'pay' - we will not finally become bosses - at least in heaven!

Because God is Communion, conviviality of differences; and He does not accept the servant-master scheme, even as a reward.