The golden calves of our modern society, long regressed to neo-paganism

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Homiletics of the Fathers of The Island of Patmos

GOLDEN CALVES OF OUR MODERN SOCIETY, FROM THE TIME regressed Neopaganism

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The media and fashions They tend to build the image of people without flaws, impeccable. The error? It happens simply an oversight, an incident in the person "perfect". Just listen to a newscast But back to reality, for example listening to the news of the crime, before which, this purity and perfection, It ends overturned.

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Author:
Gabriele Giordano M. Scardocci, o.p.

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Dear brothers and sisters,

Marc Chagall, etching: The Golden Calf

we all make mistakes and sins. The abstract ideal of absolute perfection achieved on this earth is unreal and we can snatch it from head, It would be enough to remind ourselves that we have inherited a corrupt nature by original sin.

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The media The mode They tend to create images of people without flaws, impeccable. The error? It's just an oversight, an accident in the person "perfect". But just listen to a newscast back to reality, for example, reports of crime; and this image of purity and perfection, It ends overturned.

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In today's readings [see Liturgy of the word, This XXIV Sunday in Ordinary Time, WHO] we can have a Catholic perspective on our sinfulness, repented and forgiven by God, Eternal Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Starting from reading the Old Testament that contains the admonition:

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"We ', get off, for your people, […] They have made them a molten calf, then they have worshiped, they offered sacrifices " [Is, 32,7-11.13-14].

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Prostrate in front of a statue of molten metal it is very significant, because for the People of Israel it is tantamount to giving enormous importance to material things. At the same time this also implies the hide under a metal protection: ie seek protection in their beliefs, in human certainties. It is a typical error even nowadays, a sin by which we prevent that God is more important, unable to perceive and welcome the Eternal God and transcendent as it offers us protection.

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As a totally opposite experience instead San Paolo, when he writes to his beloved disciple Timothy:

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"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, the first of which I am " [1 TM 1,12-17]

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St. Paul acknowledges that he needs Jesus: He recognizes fragile sinner, no other defense but God Himself. Symbolically, we could say that prostrates himself before gold: It is placed under the maximum protection that is God. Moreover, He is having received mercy for his sins, It is able to transmit this mercy.

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Let's also think about this: when we get mercy, then we become instruments of mercy truthful, because we have pioneered a great love.

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In the long version of the Lucan Gospel, this great love there is described by the parable of the prodigal son. The final step, that of the return home of the young reckless, shows this scene:

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"Suo father Vide, had compassion, He ran to meet, and he fell on his neck and kissed him " [LC 15,1-32].

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A parable describing images with what happens every time we present ourselves to the confessional to ask forgiveness of our sins. The Eternal Father has indeed compassion, tenderness [the greek viscera] the human condition of lost children, but eager to so much love. For this meeting the running and throwing the neck are images that recall the idea of ​​the cancellation of our sins absolution: when in fact we absolved, Jesus the Priest runs towards us and frees us from the burden of sin, a kind of yoke on the neck. So we are ready to resume the life of holiness: the Holy Spirit puts us like a kiss on the heart, When we comply penance we are asked to do, as a small satisfaction for sins committed and who gives us spiritual healing.

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For us, the staff and the other salvation, it happens every time we confess to God and let all our sins, it is a journey we make with the whole Church. A community path, which it has the most beautiful expression of communion with God and with each other. The human feeling that accompanies us in our moments of redemption, It is the joy. A real encounter with Jesus rarely does not lead to joy. He wrote Jerome David Salinger:

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"The most striking difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy is a liquid" (Nine stories, 1953).

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We ask the Lord to grant us happiness in the solidity of his Bread of eternal life and joy in the liquid of the Salvation Wine.

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Amen.

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Rome, 14 September 2019

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What is the true vision of authentic Christian? Imitations of Christ

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Homiletics of the Fathers of The Island of Patmos

WHICH IS THE REAL VISIBILITY authentic Christian? THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

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A certain humility ecclesiastical flavor moth has unfortunately become accustomed to flaunt a false humility - when strategically seeking the last place - expect the glorification and prestige coveted. With this false humility, which unfortunately today in the Church save very few, there is a serious risk that it also distorts the virtue of charity. Indeed, when the charity is made to show off power and prestige, obtain favors, transpose gains up to the speculation you can rest assured that there is more charity.

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Author
Ivano Liguori, Ofm. Capp.

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carry the cross of Christ

This XXII Sunday Ordinary Time, It reminds us of one of the classics of Christian spirituality, The imitation of Christ, in particular in the part in which it warns: «Then love and to be esteemed» [He loves to be not known and felt nothing (cf.. lib. I, cap. 2, v. 15)].

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If we think about the way of life we lead today, even as believers, This warning sounds completely irrational and even a little 'offensive. No one likes it be forgotten, we live in an era that demands visibility along with the underlining of egocentrism and of person. At this point, We crossed the limits of narcissism, we are pushed us beyond, maybe to a point of no return.

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The liturgy of this Sunday We assist us in this drift ego, by teaching that Christ gives to the Pharisees during a lunch [see Liturgy of the Word, WHO]. The passage in Luke asks its believers on the subject of humility to introduce a beautiful reflection on the way to work actively charity without hiding ulterior motives.

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Humility is the Christian virtue that makes us more like Christ, who "he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross" (Fil 2,8). Unfortunately, this virtue is not easily conquered if we become able to ask for it with the Holy Spirit and unless we adapt our feelings, the sentiments of Christ Jesus during his earthly life.

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Humility is a grace you need to take every day since none of us is immune from pride reputarsi, by virtue of the fact that original sin is explicitly a sin of pride. Although redeemed by Christ through baptism into His death and resurrection, the wound of original sin still disturbs us right through the nefarious sin of pride. And from pride come cascading all other vices and sins.

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The same devil - character now denied by a certain group of emancipated Christians, adults as well as theologians [see previous article, WHO] - is the father of pride and rebellion originated from the desire to overcome God and to take his place. Jesus in the Gospel urges us to desire the last place because our value lies not in the event of a power or a worldly prestige but in the exclusive relationship with the Father.

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Remember the Blessed Father Francis in its Yellow:

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"Blessed is the servant, do not you think best, when it is praised and exalted by men, when it is considered vile, simple and despicable, because what man is before God, It is and no more " [cf.. Yellow Cards Nineteenth, FF 169]

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For this man is called to be small and love this exceedingly small size because that is where his treasure is hidden.

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A certain ecclesiastical humility the taste of mothballs has unfortunately become accustomed to flaunt a false humility - when strategically seeking the last place - expect the glorification and prestige coveted. With this false humility, which unfortunately today in the Church save very few, there is a serious risk that it also distorts the virtue of charity. Indeed, when the charity is made to show off power and prestige, obtain favors, transpose gains up to the speculation you can rest assured that there is more charity.

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The recompense, according to the teaching of the Kingdom, It is not the trading currency of the disciple and this is true in secular realities in those sacred: "You received, freely give " [cf.. Mt 10,8].

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The charity is evident in the care of the needy, of the sick, the prisoner, the distant, the lost of faith, the confusing, the sinner, of the heretic, apostate and so to follow, both free and urges, It deprives many arguments that turn into socio-psychological discipline. The Christian charity only speaks of God, and God through His Son humbled himself on the cross to teach us to love to the total gift of ourselves. The theology of humility and last place coincides with the Calvary, a hard lesson to swallow.

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The last place It is certainly an uncomfortable place but it is the safest outpost of paradise that man could wish on earth.

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Cagliari, 31 August 2019

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«You will know the truth and the truth will set you free» [GV 8,32],
but bring, spread and defend the truth not only of
risks but also the costs. Help us supporting this Island
with your offers through the secure Paypal system:









or you can use the bank account:

payable to Editions The island of Patmos

IBAN IT 74R0503403259000000301118
in this case, send us an email warning, because the bank
It does not provide your email and we could not send you a
thanks [ isoladipatmos@gmail.com ]

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