Monday, August 06, 2007

More wisdom from Vanier ...


But so many want to get rid of him:
pharisees, scribes and elders who are threatened and frightened,
Romans who are annoyed by a stupid fanatic stirring up the people,
rich people who do NOT want
to give up their possessions and confess THEIR needs,
publicans and sinners
who do not want to change their ways.

In the broken body of our world
there are so many people with vested interests
in the brokeness born of fear and conflict:
to prevent wholeness and healing,
to destroy the promise of light.
In every person
there is a part that is afraid of healing,
that does not want to change -
a brokenness with which one has learned to live
and which seems safer than the unknown.
- Jean Vanier in The Broken Body: journey to wholeness

The funny (and sad) thing is - Vanier is reflecting on the life of Jesus some 19 Centuries ago ... and his words speak a truth about the current situation of the Church ... The more things change, the more they stay the same ...

Maybe one day we will finally begin to listen to Jesus and let the Kingdom come ...

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