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Charity is truth - Chapter 6 - The development of Peoples
and Technology brings us back to the same challenges of history. ... and they shared all things in common as described
in the bible passage has haunted societies for centuries. Communism and Socialism tried their hand at it but failed.
Attempts big and small have failed. We have to first absorb what the passage says before trying to adapt to it as a
people. Apparently the Pope thinks it is possible beyond the concept of only one true church.
According
to Charity is truth, "By analogy, the development of peoples goes awry if humanity thinks it can re-create itself
through the -wonders- of technology, just as economic development is exposed as a destructive sham if it relies on the
-wonders- of finance in order to sustain unnatural and consumerist growth. .. man needs to look inside himself in order to
recognize the fundamental norms of moral law which God has written on our hearts."
Today, we find our economies based on making money on money instead of making things are burning out. We find that
all the monetary values are arbitrary and subject to even international ponze schemes. Some even make money by
knowing when others will lose their money. The globalization of money and the globalization of production is not working.
We need to study the economic models that worked better and bring them back. Apparently the new models are not
working and attempts to find new ways are halted by powerful forces outside the will of the people. Most likely
any attempt for our generation to try to make something like Acts 2:44-47 work, will fail because the state has put itself
above the church and nothing will ever work when this happens. This part of scripture is based on .... and all who
believed - that is , who adhered to and trusted on Jesus Christ - were united, and together they had
everything in common; ( when the state trys to copycat this as an entity above the church, all attempts of
the heart are doomed to failure. ) ...and they sold their possessions [ both their landed property and their movable
goods ] and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in
the temple with united purpose,
and in their homes they broke bread [ including the Lord's
Supper ]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts. Constantly praising God and being in
favor and goodwill with all the people, and the Lord kept adding [to their number ] daily those who were being saved (from
spiritual death).
This is an amplified version of the passage. I wonder why states try to plug -all
things in common- into their political platforms without trying to find out why we can not live up to the standards
of this passage. Charity is truth says " It is no coincidence that closing the door to transcendence brings one up short
against difficulty..... reason without faith is doomed to flounder in an illustion of its own omnipotence..."
I personally have spent a lifetime trying to tune into the passage in Acts and even thinking it was arrogant to try
anything since history tells us it is futile to plug it into everyday life. It has worked in monasteries but the division
between the spiritual life and the secular life stopped all attempts in bringing the monasteries type of community living to
the streets.
However, I found something recently that provides some hints on what it takes to form real community.
I came across a God's Door Keeper. I will tell his story later on but first want to introduce all those interested
in an economy based on social justice to another priest. Nothing will work as long as the state puts it self
above the church. President Obama is proceeding this way related to dictating to pharmacists to fill subscriptions
despite of the conscience clause and forces all taxpayers to fund abortions. He wants to do the same with human embronic stem
cell research. He already has divided Catholics with his visit to Notre Dame to receive an honor degree. How can we
expect him to do the right thing in workday issues.
One of the first five saints Pope Benedict cannonized
lived in our times. He was Father Alberto Hurtado, a Jesuit, lawyer, writer, social worker and union
labor advocate in Chile. He visited related centers in Europe and the worker priest movement in France. He started
shelters for disadvantaged children, teenagers and young adults. The shelters were called Christ's home. He took in all
children in need of food and shelter and drove the streets at night in a 1946 green pick up truck monitoring the streets.
His movement grew. From 1945 to 1951, more than 850,000 children received some help from his movement. He wrote three significant
books about the social conditions in Chile. Some Catholics in Chile accused him of being a Communist. With a background
as a labor lawyer, he founded the Chilean Union Association to train leaders. He followed the social justice teaching of the
church in the process. In 2005, he was cannonized as a saint as one of the first five saints cannonized by Pope Benedict. Father Hurtado
was born in 1901 and died as a national leader in 1952. He became a saint 53 years later.
I read the Pope's encyclical with Father Hurtado in mind. He remains a real Populist leader for all to follow.
Next: God's Door Keeper - a simple priest's insight that is tailored to the Pope's
encyclical..next page.
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