Friday, November 25, 2011

More than economic or social, the current crisis is a crisis of meaning”




11/25/2011

Benedict XVI

This is according to a statement made by Benedict XVI: “Those who try to live only in a material dimension, end up feeling suffocated”vatican



insider staff
rome


“In the family, the workplace, as well as in politics and economics, the people of today need to see and feel for themselves how life with or without God makes a huge difference.” These were Benedict XVI’s words during his Audience in the Vatican today with participants of the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The Pope urged those present “to offer a transparent account of the relevance of the God question, in all thoughts and actions.”

The Pope mentioned the various initiatives promoted by the dicastery for the Laity, drawing attention to the World Youth Day which took place in Madrid last August. “An extraordinary waterfall of light, joy and hope lit up Madrid and the rest of old Europe and the entire world – the Pope said – refreshing the present-day search for God.” “No one – the Pope added – was able to stay indifferent, no one could have thought that the question of God was an irrelevant one for the people of today.”

The Pope clarified that the “crisis we are experiencing today is a crisis of meaning and of values more than it is economic or social”: “those who try to live a positivist life, defined by calculations and measurings, will end up feeling suffocated.”

The theme of the dicastery’s plenary assembly was “The Question of God Today”. In relation to this, the Pope stressed that “we must never tire of asking ourselves that question, of “starting all over again from God,” to restore all of mankind’s dimensions and its complete dignity.” “Indeed, a certain mentality is spreading in our time that is denying any reference to God. This mentality has proved unable to understand and preserve humanity,” the Pope said.

As such, “the question of God is, in a sense, “the question of all questions” – Ratzinger continued. “It brings us back to the fundamental questions of man's aspirations to truth, happiness and freedom inherent in his heart, searching for realization. The man in whom the question of God is reawakened is open to hope, to a trustworthy hope, one that’s worth the effort of facing the daily trials of the present. "

At times, emphasis has been placed on the need for a stronger presence of Christians in society, in politics or the economy, and perhaps there was little concern about the soundness of their faith, as if it were acquired once and for all.”

“How often – Ratzinger reprimanded – despite people proclaiming themselves Christian, has God not been the central reference point in their thoughts and actions, in making fundamental life choices.” “The first response to the great challenge of our time – he added - is a deep conversion of our heart.”





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