El cristianisme i les religions antigues

LA PARAULA ARA A LES LECTURES MASSIVES
per al 19 de maig de 2014
Dilluns de la cinquena setmana de Pasqua

IT és habitual escoltar aquells que s’oposen al catolicisme invocar arguments com ara: el cristianisme s’acaba de manllevar de religions paganes; que Crist és un invent mitològic; o que els dies de la festa catòlica, com ara Nadal i Setmana Santa, són només paganisme amb un lifting facial. Però hi ha una perspectiva del paganisme completament diferent que revela sant Pau en les lectures de missa d’avui.

While evangelizing the pagan Greeks, St. Paul makes the beautiful observation:

In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.

That is to say, while God was slowly revealing a plan of universal salvation through the “chosen people”, He was also revealing Himself in a different ways through the “gospel of nature.” As St. Paul said to the Romans:

Perquè el que es pot saber de Déu els és evident, perquè Déu els ho va fer evident. Des de la creació del món, els seus atributs invisibles d'etern poder i divinitat s'han pogut entendre i percebre en allò que ha fet. (Rm 1:19-20)

"Their beauty is a profession,” said St. Augustine; “the earth he has given to the children of men,” says today’s Psalm.

Així, de diferents maneres, l'home pot arribar a saber que existeix una realitat que és la primera causa i el final final de totes les coses, una realitat "que tothom anomena Déu" ... totes les religions són testimoni de la recerca essencial de Déu per part de l'home.  -Catecisme de l'Església Catòlica, n. 34, 2566

But human nature was wounded through original sin; reason became darkened, and man “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four- legged animals or of snakes.” ^[1]cf. Rom 1: 23 Nonetheless, God still poured out His kindness upon all men through divine providence—a signpost toward that misericòrdia això esdevindria encarnat. Thus, the Creator of the heavens and earth became a creature himself: Jesus Christ was born. He entered time from eternity to point the ancient longings and hunger of man toward “the way, the truth, and the life,” that is Himself.

Qui m’estimi complirà la meva paraula, i el meu Pare l’estimarà, i vindrem a ell i farem la nostra residència amb ell. (L'evangeli d'avui)

Thus, in finding the One true God, pagan holidays were dropped in lieu of Christian feasts; Greek gods remained crumbling statues; and once barbaric nations became pacified by the Gospel of love. For Jesus did not come to judge or condemn the ancients, but to reveal that He was who they were looking for all along, and to give them the Spirit to lead them into all truth.

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. (Gospel)