Thursday, October 13. 2005

Borrowing a word from that great British thinker of culture and history that was Christopher Dawson, one could say that when the mystical and prophetic dimension of a culture declines, its very religion also “becomes secular, is absorbed in the cultural tradition to such a point that it identifies with it, and finally it becomes only a way of social activity and perhaps even a slave or accomplice of the powers of this world.” Much of this is also happening in the present day.
Interview With Jaime Antúnez, Editor of Humanitas

Part 2 of the interview

Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice.

If hell is the absence of God, then our world must seem hellish because God seems absent. Where does one look for God today in life, in religion, or in one’s heart? Where does he hear our complaint? Where do we wait for him? Does he only come to us when we sin, in punishment, his mercy unseen? If God does not make his kingly presence known, is it a wonder that men make light of it, and go their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and the remnant take his servants, and entreat them spitefully, and slay them? You condemned your generation; our scribes and Pharisees much more build the sepulchers of the prophets and have taken away the key of knowledge. The world does not know us and does not know you. We know that God is present, because in him we have our being. But we want his kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven. I do not say Lord, Lord, but Jesus, Jesus. Maranatha. Come quickly.

The secular life says that one should go about the world’s business—that you are not calling. The universe being matter, life is meaningless, but one can do good if one has the right formulas, or at least the right contacts. Prayer says that you are the right contact, that life is meaningful, that the universe and man are your creation. When prayer is shown stronger than techne, the world will convert. Surely you will not settle for individual conversions?

Will epidemics and other “natural” disasters bring the world closer to you? Probably yes. But in your mercy, spare us.

The great works of today were great whether or not God exists. Is that how you want greatness defined?

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Caryl Johnston accuses the Philadelphia Inquirer. Why does not someone organize a boycott?