Preparation for the Kisangani Forum: Gratuity as the Engine of Works of Mercy
Catechesis prepared by Father Vittorio, pastor of Yanonge in the Archdiocese of Kisangani, on the sidelines of preparations for the Forum on the reEvolution of the works of mercy
Jesus knows that His Father asked the Ancestors to be attentive to orphans, widows, and foreigners. He said, “The Heads of Nations make their power felt and are called Benefactors.” Paul to the Romans says of a Christless society, “They are without heart, without mercy.”
He calls us to be merciful like his Father.
The ancient pagan society was surprised by the Christian novelty. As St. Justin said in the 1950s, “The Church is in society as the soul is in the body.” The great novelty is every Christian’s gratuitousness and mercy toward those who suffer, in a culture of selfishness that ignores the losers.
Ignatius of Antioch, year 108, told the Church of Rome, “You are first in Charity.” Charity, Caritas, speaks of the quality of the Love of the Heart of Jesus. St. Justin tells us that the care of the Church of Rome is primarily for the poor, the sick, the imprisoned. St. Lawrence was the deacon responsible for the care of the poor. When the emperor of Rome, in his persecution, laid his hands on church property, Lawrence was ordered to record everything. He had distributed everything. He presented the poor saying, “This is the treasure of the Church.”
St. Anthony of the Desert, in the 300s, in his work as a “monk” divided what he earned into two parts, one of which was for the poor. St. Martin, a Roman officer, shared his cloak with a poor man in the cold of winter, after which he became a “monk” and teacher of others. The monasteries of ancient times did not ask Christians for help, but worked and radiated works of mercy. Benedictine abbeys, for example, promoted all forms of community development as free service to society.
When Gregory the Great became Pope in 600, Benedictine as he was, he found distress and insecurity, misery and looting, at the time of the barbarian invasions. The empire had collapsed and he had to take over from the authorities to ensure justice and protection, food and culture, in a world of violence and neglect. It was not about power, but about mercy. He performed the works of mercy in the absence of the state.
Works of mercy in religious orders
Ora, Labora et Lege: the importance of reading and learning. From 1,600 onward, there were many Saints who founded schools for the people of villages and suburbs. Free education was supported by the help of the poor and local people. We can mention the Marists, the Brothers of Christian Instruction, De La Salle, John Bosco. For girls, we recall Angéla Mérici.
Hospitals were born of the Church. From ancient times, caring for the sick and poor was the sole responsibility of the Church’s Works of Mercy. The world abandoned the losers of life to the margins. In more recent times, beginning in the 1500s, we recall St. Camillus, and then St. Vincent de Paul and the Cottolengo. St. Francis de Sales organized home visits for the sick.
“Misericordie” were widespread in the Middle Ages. The Florence region of Tuscany has maintained the widespread organizations of the Misericordie to this day. They have become autonomous and social, but the inspiration of Christian gratuitousness underlies everything. Another observation: modern society is very attentive to people with disabilities; there are even Olympics for the disabled. There is no religion, but it is the spirit of the Gospel that remains the leaven in the dough. Let no one be left behind.”
We know the Red Cross well. It is still the Christian influence in society. The Muslim world followed suit by organizing the Crescent. God’s goodness enters wherever there is an open heart. What makes the hidden presence of Christ visible is the gratuitousness of service. The spirit of the world is manifested when people say, “What’s in it for me?”
Caritas and its mission to spread works of mercy. Free as a dominant note
The 1900s were the time of the widespread organization of Caritas in the churches. The Christian world wanted to give effectiveness and continuity to the works of Human Promotion or relief in emergency situations. The original inspiration is “The Works of Mercy.” Freedom is the dominant note; sometimes a small percentage goes to services. Today, in the dominant mindset, Caritas means projects, with money coming in from outside. There is a risk of presenting a project abroad, with a hidden idea: first the money, then the work. Conclusion: a percentage is removed in advance and the work remains unfinished. To say Caritas means project, means percentage. Interest has won, the spirit of the world has won. Works of Mercy will be our healing.
St. Paul said, “Caritas Christi urgente nos.” The Church lives by the quality of Love that comes to us from the pierced Heart as from its source. The world thinks of profit, Jesus teaches us the gratuitousness of life given. Question, “What do we do with the money from the Project?” All private benefits flourish without Christ. Awakening churches talk about prosperity, which is private; we are talking about community development, human promotion. Man at the center, profit on the side.
Modern economics is based on private benefit, on the right of the fittest. Pope Paul VI said, ‘Yesterday the poor Lazarus was a man, today they are People.’ A widespread awareness tells us that the poor are the impoverished. Without going to university, everyone feels that this is a global injustice. The debts of countries trying to develop stifle life. We cry out against the Stranger. With Banque Lambert, we do the same thing locally: we take advantage of our neighbor’s economic difficulties to help them-say, by lending them money with interest. And that’s usury. This is the daily way within our reach to increase the misery of the poor and increase the wealth of the rich. The already cursed American economy has entered our heads and pockets.
Papa Francesco, ne “Evangeli Gaudium”, scrive: “Dio dice: non uccidere. L’economia moderna sta uccidendo i poveri. Dobbiamo cambiare l’economia. Dio ha anche detto di non rubare. Le percentuali che sottraiamo ad un Progetto al servizio della Vita diventano il nostro modo di rubare. Una ventata di novità può giungere a noi dalla tradizione cristiana delle Opere di Misericordia. È gratuito contro profitto. È la Chiesa Famiglia che traduce in modo naturale la solidarietà familiare”.
Gesù ha detto: ‘C’è più gioia nel dare che nel ricevere.’ Colui che ha lavato i piedi ci guarisce da una mentalità mondana che ama dire: ‘Innalzatevi alla dignità’. Il mondo è come un muro di mattoni, un mattone è più alto dell’altro. Abbiamo detto: “Il collo non è più alto della testa”. Ognuno con la propria dignità e grado di nobiltà. Dobbiamo cambiare. “Fratelli Tutti”, ha detto San Francesco, ha detto anche Papa Francesco. Chi ama gli onori ed i vantaggi lascia Gesù fuori dalla porta; lui è lì e colpisce. Ci sta aspettando. Se l’iniziativa delle “Opere di Misericordia” ci provoca e ci invita, sia benedetto Dio!
Il mondo ci sta guardando. Quando siamo come il mondo, quando facciamo come gli altri, la nostra presenza come Chiesa è inutile. Ma Gesù ci ha posto come città sui monti, per essere vista, per diventare un invito, un’idea alternativa. Colui che ci ha chiamato a lasciare tutto, è lui che ha la responsabilità di prendersi cura di noi. Lui stesso educherà i cristiani della Chiesa a prendersi cura di noi. I cristiani donano a coloro che donano se stessi. San Francesco, mandando i suoi Fratelli all’apostolato, diceva: “Spiegate Gesù con la vostra vita; e, se necessario, anche con le parole’.
L’importante è che tutti si sentano amati e considerati. Tutti, incontrandoci, possano rendere grazie al Signore nostro Dio di esistere, di essere amati, di diventare capaci di amare. La gioia del cristiano è una vittoria pasquale sulle sofferenze del mondo; si chiama “Consolazione”. Questa parola significa: ‘Stare con chi si sente solo’. Gesù ci dice: “Siate pieni di misericordia come il Padre vostro è pieno di misericordia”.
Sentirsi amato da Dio, figlio di Dio, insieme Chiesa Famiglia
Benedetto Dio, Padre della consolazione. Essere con chi è solo.
father Vittorio Farronato
The inhabitants of spazio + spadoni are wont to repeat:
“Let us enter OPERA M! And let us flood everyone and everyone with works and say.
God’s mercy is in Action
And we answer, “Always!”
From today start using our motto. When you greet, when you rise, when you meet, when you do and share a Work.
Let’s build and cross the network of OPERA M together.
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Images
- spazio+spadoni Digitally created image