Vatican City, 28 November 2015 (VIS) -
“'Realities simply are, whereas ideas are worked out. There has to
be a continuous dialogue between the two, lest ideas become detached
from realities. It is dangerous to dwell in the realm of words alone,
of images and rhetoric'. To prevent the danger of living detached
from reality, it is necessary to open the eyes and the heart”, says
Pope Francis in the video message he sent yesterday afternoon to the
participants in the 5th Festival of the Social Doctrine of the
Church, held in Verona from 26 to 29 November, on the theme “The
challenge of reality”.
“Our life is made up of many things”,
he continued; “a torrent of news, of many problems: all this leads
us not to see, not to be aware of the problems of the people who are
near us. Indifference seems to be a medicine that protects us from
involvement, and becomes a way of being more relaxed. This is
indifference. But this non-involvement is a way of defending our
selfishness, and saddens us. … The challenge of reality also
requires the capacity for dialogue, to build bridges instead of
walls. This is the time for dialogue, not for the defence of
opposition and rigidity. I invite you to face 'the challenge of
finding and sharing the mystique of living together, of mingling and
encounter, of embracing and supporting one another, of stepping into
this flood tide which, while chaotic, can become a genuine experience
of fraternity, a caravan of solidarity, a sacred pilgrimage'”.
“The challenge of reality, however,
requires change. Everyone is aware of the need for change, because we
sense that something is not working. … True change begins in
ourselves and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. People who experience
inner change from the Spirit lead also to social change”.
The Pope goes on to mention the
environmental challenge, and the need to “listen to the cry of
Mother Earth. Respect for creatures and for creation represents a
great challenge for the future of humanity. Man and creation are
inseparably linked”. Francis emphasises that while we think of this
theme as being part of politics, economics and development strategy,
“nothing can substitute personal commitment. Austerity, responsible
consumption, a lifestyle that welcomes creation as a gift and
excludes predatory and exclusive forms of possession, is the concrete
way of creating a new sensibility. If many of us live like this, it
will have a positive impact on society as a whole, and the cry of the
earth and the cry of the poor will become audible to all”, he
concluded.
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