da “La Stampa” del 15 febbraio 2009
Veniamo da settimane in cui questa antica sapienza umana - prima ancora che biblica - è parsa
dimenticata.
Anche tra i pochi che parlavano per invocare il silenzio v’era chi sembrava mosso più che altro dal desiderio di far tacere quanti la pensavano diversamente da lui. Da parte mia confesso che, anche se
il direttore di questo giornale mi ha invitato più volte a scrivere, ho preferito fare silenzio, Indeed,
suffer in silence waiting for the time that it may be possible - but it is not - a word
audible. Around 17 years
long agony of a woman, around the drama of a family in distress, has worn a clash
uncivilized, unworthy of a Christian style uproar, day after day, in the silence
inhabited by my faith in God and from my loyalty to the land and humanity for which they are
lots recorded verbal violence, and sometimes even physical, which clashes with my Christian faith
. I could not hear those cries - "murderers", "Executioner", "let us" ... - Without
think that when Jesus have brought a woman shouting "adulterous" has
long silence, to be able to tell at some point, "Woman \\ neither do I condemn you, 'Go and sin no more';
I could not hear the yelling threatening without thinking Jesus on the cross that does not scream "thief,
murderess," the robber did not repent, but in silence stands beside him, sharing the condition of
guilty and the punishment. What does it mean for a Christian to pray rosaries and insult? O
pray ostentatiously to the streets with a style political rally or union?
But alongside these lacerating contradictions as not to suffer the agony of this political manipulation
donna? Una politica che arriva in ritardo nello svolgere il ruolo che le è
proprio - offrire un quadro legislativo adeguato e condiviso per tematiche così sensibili - e che
brutalmente invade lo spazio più intimo e personale al solo fine del potere; una politica che si finge
al servizio di un’etica superiore, l’etica cristiana, e che cerca, con il compiacimento anche di
cattolici, di trasformare il cristianesimo in religione civile. L’abbiamo detto e scritto più volte: se
mai la fede cristiana venisse declinata come religione civile, non solo perderebbe la sua capacità
profetica, ma sarebbe ridotta a cappellania del potente di turno, diverrebbe sale senza più sapore
in the words of Jesus, incapable of being in the world by the memory of his Lord.
It happened several times what I had seen and feared: the clash of civilizations predicted by Huntington
are not consumed as a clash of religions, but as a clash of ethics, with devastating effects
greater division and conflict in the polis, and it must be said even in the Church.
From these "bad days" get out more divided. On the one hand, the growing religious fundamentalism, on the other
a nihilism that rejects any shared ethical processes that make listening to each other and
society is increasingly marked by atrocities.
Yes, there were also entries of compassion, but in the general outcry have gone almost unheeded.
L'Osservatore Romano has boldly demanded - through the words of its director,
tone and frequency of interventions - to prevent exploitation on all sides to avoid confrontation
ideological, to draw the respect of death itself. But many media actually appeared
held hostage by a battle front that none of the contenders has been saved by means
unjustifiable end. Yet, it was life and death, reality and therefore intimately linked
not be attributed exclusively to one field or another, one culture or another.
death remains a mystery for everyone, it becomes mystery for the faithful: an event that should not be removed, but that gives our lives
to its limit and shall explain the personal and social responsibility;
an event that threatens us all and we all wait as the final outcome of life and Therefore, part of life itself, an event
therefore primarily to be lived in love: love for those who still love and acceptance you receive
. Yes, this is the only truth that we should try to live close to death and dying,
even when it is difficult and tiring. In fact, death is not always that of a man or a woman who
, sated of days, they naturally go out as a candle, surrounded
dearest affections. No, sometimes it's 'agony', painful struggle, even brutalizing because of physical suffering;
today is increasingly delivered to medical science, technology, facilities and equipment
...
What to say about it? Life is a gift and not a prey: no one gives his life by himself or
can conquer it by force. In the space of faith believers, next to God
hope in life after death, have the knowledge that this gift comes from God, received from him, he should be given back
a timely act of obedience, searching, sometimes fatigue, to thank God, "I
Thank you, my God, di avermi creato...». Ma il credente sa che molti cristiani di fronte a
quell’incontro finale con Dio hanno deciso di pronunciare un «sì» che comportava la rinuncia ad
accanirsi per ritardare il momento di quel faccia a faccia temuto e sperato. Quanti monaci, quante
donne e uomini santi, di fronte alla morte hanno chiesto di restare soli e di cibarsi solo dell’eucarestia, quanti hanno recitato il Nunc dimittis, il «lascia andare, o Signore, il tuo servo»
come ultima preghiera nell’attesa dell’incontro con colui che hanno tanto cercato... In anni più
vicini a noi, pensiamo al patriarca Athenagoras I e a papa Giovanni Paolo II: due cristiani, due
vescovi, due Heads of Churches and knew that they wanted to go out
consenting to God's call, making the death the ultimate act of obedience in their Lord.
Stories like these are the precious heritage that the Church can offer to those who do not believe
as a sign of a great victory on the last advance of the enemy of mankind, the
death. Items such as these we would have liked to accompany the silence of respect and compassion in these bad days
deafened by voices unworthy. The Catholic Church and all Christian churches are convinced
have to state publicly and especially to witness the experiences that life can not be removed or turned off by anyone and that, from conception to natural death, it has a value that no man can contradict or deny, but the Christians in this effort must never contradict the way that Jesus asked his disciples, but in a style that firmness should show mercy and compassion without never become contempt and condemnation of those who think differently.
Then, from a millennial tradition of love for life, acceptance of death and resurrection of faith in the words may arise in a position to respond to unusual questions that progress in science and medical technology pose on the edge where life and death meet. So leriassumeva the letter addressed to Pope Paul VI Pontifical Catholic physicians in 1970: "The character sanctity of life is what keeps the doctor forced him to kill and at the same time to devote all the resources of his art to fight against death. This does not mean, however, forcing him to use all the survival techniques that offers a science instancabilmentecreatrice. In many cases it would probably be useless torture to impose resuscitation nellafase vegetative terminal of an incurable disease? In that case, the duty of the physician is quite an undertaking to alleviate suffering, instead of wanting to extend for as long as possible, conqualsiasi means and in any condition, a life that is not fully human and which is of course to its epilogue : Time inevitable and sacred meeting of the soul with the Creator through a painful transition that makes it become part of Christ's passion. Even inquest the doctor must respect life. "
Well, this is the contribution with respect and simplicity Christians can offer to those
not share their faith, find shared ethics for society and everyone can live and die
love and freedom.