How sad to see parents who accompany children dressed as witches, devils or ghosts! And even more hordes of teenagers running around playing with the same costumes and bells repeating that crazy "trick or treat! Oh yes, I'm really politically incorrect! Why criticize when many Catholic parishes are scrambling to ensure the goodness of the initiative?
considerations come to mind "anachronistic" Louis Bouyer wrote in 1948 about the dangerous illusions of Christians of his time monistic of a hoped for "conversion of the world." We are still victims of this Hegelian view of history where you go in vain to "reconcile" Christ and the World.
I do not take it out on those poor souls who run around in costumes, which are only the outward sign a devastation for themselves are often unaware of the Catholic truth about death and the fate of the dead. But I take it with those who still define themselves as Catholic and that approves of this flood of apostasy would call Bernanos. In fact reduce the feast of all saints and that of faded and often demonic ghosts is really something painfully sad!
why I find it useful to present here some considerations Bouyer contained in a paper entitled "Christianity and Eschatology."
" not" change the world "but" hatred of the world "is what we expected going to the apostles to preach the Gospel. Enmity of the world, manifested more clearly and more openly radical and definitive, but at the same time 'victory over the world. " (...) is a fact that today's Christians can not bear to have enemies . They want to be against everything that is against and in favor of all that is in favor. There is no way today to be non-believers. You may strive to accumulate curses. Lost time. Whether Nietzsche, Proudhon, or even the Marquis De Sade, or simply Jean-Paul Sartre, there's sure to brighten a clergyman who will write a book where you will be gently encouraged, liberally interpreted, and skillfully monopolized . As the prophet Ezekiel the cherubim Babylonians attacked the chariot of the Shekinah, you will, without knowing how to beat the noria to mount the water of a mill or Jesuit, Dominican ... so far no one has escaped! ... (...) Whatever the "isms" that have excited and enjoying our contemporaries, we can be sure after a while, check to see 'a scale model and carefully sterilized for use by Christians bear a label that certifies baptism in beautiful shape. But the result is that non-believers when we hear a bit ', not in our words are a substitute for usum delphini their own creations, and turned away, disinterested, not even notice the subtle aroma of holy water that our false hope would be content to have their say. "
This is the sad reality. We have lost the meaning of the statement, take care not to consider that Christ is said to deny the world with its illusions and its idolatry.
truly prophetic echo Bouyer of the questions with which I conclude this post asking you if you truly love Christ or if you are simply interested in making good use of the mass of the brain that God has given you, leaving you to seriously question:
" One can not say anything without denying its opposite, and our fear of suffering from shock or disappointment, always holds us back from saying a categorical no. Our ancestors preached the Gospel to save the souls of their brothers. But save them through the Gospel did not imply the idea that we would be lost without it? Immediately, the modern Christian is ready to do anything to wash such a charge. Not only is it to save the men who will talk to them, but is also convinced that, in their invincible ignorance, it is much safer than they have saved him: his sad privilege is not perhaps be enlightened on the onerous obligations that they do not touch? But then, what interest he thinks that his gospel may be those which nonetheless offers it? On the one hand does not dare put that one in which they already believe, adorned only by an ecclesiastical phraseology of which he is the only one to receive the interest on the other hand, his obsessive care led him to continually insist that they do not expect all the salvation of others. Salvation is granted and does not pretend to add anything through his testimony. If this is so surprising because his timid advances that had so little success? Who would come to an inn where you begin to tell you that it will not stay more indoors and if you stay out there and find nothing to eat except what he brought with him? .
HAPPY "All Saints"!
