A Delicate Balance

“The children of darkness are smarter than the children of light”, reminds us Jesus. We have seen this in the on-going meeting about population and development. All the preparations have been done in secret, participants have been selected carefully to avoid dissenting voices, the role of religious leaders has been kept low. We were told of all this in Fatima, during the annual meeting of ICLN. We experienced it first-hand in our meetings with various CS and other government officials. Other church officials did not move faster than we did. If anything, CAMPSSI has achieved more than other church bodies.

This experience may lead us to take a step back from organizations that respond to a world-value different from ours. It is a temptation always present in the church. Why should we co-operate with people who have ethical principles so different from our own? Pope Francis is-however- inviting us to a different approach. “With culture, with those who do not believe or with those who have a different creed from ours we must always build bridges, always reach out, no aggression”, Pope Francis said in a public speech a week ago. Citing Saint Paul’s experience in Athens, Pope Francis stated that Paul’s intervention in the great cultural capital of Europe did not go well. However, ”the impact with paganism instead of making it flee, pushed him to create a bridge to dialogue with that culture”.

Paul accepted the risks of dialoguing with people of different cultural background. He “went to the synagogue, symbol of the life of faith; he went to the square, symbol of city life; and he went to the areopagus, symbol of political and cultural life. He met Jews, Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, and many others. He met all the people; he did not close himself in an inner circle of believers”. Paul, in short, “did not look at the city of Athens and the pagan world with hostility but with the eyes of faith. And this makes us question our way of looking at our cities: do we observe them with indifference? With contempt? Or with the faith that recognizes the children of God in the midst of the anonymous crowds? Paul chooses the look that drives him to open agape between the Gospel and the pagan world. In the heart of one of the most famous institutions of the ancient world, the Areopagus, he realizes an extraordinary example of inculturation of the message of the faith: he proclaims Jesus Christ to the worshipers of idols, and he does not attack them, but making himself  “pontiff, builder of bridges”, said the Pope.

Paul was able to engage the Athenians in a cultural and religious discussion. This until he decided to proclaim the Risen Christ. That became the stumbling block that killed the conversation. “The death and resurrection of Christ appears “foolishness” and arouses mockery and derision. Paul then moved away: his attempt seems to have failed, and instead some adhere to his word and open themselves to faith. Among them was a man, Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, and a woman, Damaris. Even in Athens the Gospel took root and run in two voices: that of the man and that of the woman”.

With these words, Pope Francis invites us to proclaim the truth, however unsavory it may be, without renouncing to dialogue. We have the role of building bridges between society and the Christian community. We should never renounce to the possibility of dialogue, especially when the good of the people is involved.

Rev. Fr. Dr. Giuseppe Caramazza, MCCJ DVC-Tangaza University College

Saint Thomas More, Patron Saint of Political Leaders; Pray for Us