Taimskvēra parāde, autors Aleksandrs Čens
WE dzīvo bīstamos laikos. Taču maz ir tādu, kas to apzinās. Es runāju nevis par terorisma, klimata pārmaiņu vai kodolkara draudiem, bet gan par kaut ko smalkāku un mānīgāku. Tas ir ienaidnieka virzība uz priekšu, kas jau ir iekarojis vietu daudzās mājās un sirdīs un izdodas izraisīt draudošu iznīcināšanu, izplatoties visā pasaulē:
Troksnis.
Es runāju par garīgu troksni. Dvēselei tik skaļš, sirdij tik apdullinošs troksnis, ka, nokļuvis tajā, tas aizsedz Dieva balsi, apslāpē sirdsapziņu un apžilbina acis, lai redzētu realitāti. Tas ir viens no bīstamākajiem mūsu laika ienaidniekiem, jo, lai gan karš un vardarbība nodara kaitējumu ķermenim, troksnis ir dvēseles slepkava. Un dvēsele, kas ir izslēgusi Dieva balsi, riskē Viņu vairs mūžībā vairs nedzirdēt.
TROKSNIS
Šis ienaidnieks vienmēr ir slēpies, bet varbūt nekad vairāk kā šodien. Par to brīdināja apustulis svētais Jānis troksnis ir antikrista gara priekšvēstnesis:
Nemīli pasauli vai pasaules lietas. Ja kāds mīl pasauli, tad viņā nav Tēva mīlestības. Jo viss, kas ir pasaulē, jutekliskā iekāre, acu vilinājums un izliekta dzīve, nav no Tēva, bet gan no pasaules. Tomēr pasaule un tās vilinājums iet prom. Bet kas dara Dieva gribu, tas paliek mūžīgi. Bērni, ir pēdējā stunda; un tāpat kā jūs dzirdējāt, ka antikrists nāk, tā tagad ir parādījušies daudzi antikristi. (1. Jāņa 2:15-18)
Miesas iekāre, acu vilinājums, pretencioza dzīve. Šie ir līdzekļi, ar kuriem Firstistes un lielvaras vērš trokšņa sprādzienu pret nenojaušot cilvēci.
IEKĀLES TROKSNIS
One cannot surf the internet, walk through an airport, or simply buy groceries without being assaulted by the noise of lust. Men, more than women, are susceptible to this because there is a stronger chemical response in men. It is a terrible noise, for it pulls not only the eyes, but one’s very body into its path. To even suggest today that a half-clad woman is immodest or inappropriate will draw bewilderment if not scorn. It has become socially acceptable, and at younger and younger ages, to sexualize and objectivy the body. It is no longer a vessel for transmitting, through modesty and charity, the truth of who the human person truly is, but has become a loudspeaker blaring a distorted message: that fulfillment comes ultimately from sex and sexiness, rather than the Creator. This noise alone, now broadcast through rancid imagery and language in nearly every facet of modern society, is doing more to destroy souls than perhaps any other.
VELINĀŠANAS TROKSNIS
In the Western nations in particular, the noise of materialism—the enticement of new things—has reached a deafening pitch, yet few are resisting it. Ipads, ipods, ibooks, iphones, ifashions, iretirement plans…. Even the titles themselves reveal something of the potential danger that lurks behind the need for personal comfort, convenience and self-pleasure. It is all about “I”, not my brother in need. The exportation of manufacturing to third world 
valstis (kas bieži vien rada netaisnību ar nožēlojamām algām) ir izraisījušas zemu izmaksu preču cunami, kam sekoja nerimstošas reklāmas viļņi, kas prioritāšu totēma augšgalā nostāda sevi, nevis kaimiņu.
But the noise has taken on a different and more insidious tone in our day. The internet and wireless technology continually serve up a vast array of high definition color, news, gossip, photos, videos, goods, services—all in a split second. It is the perfect concoction of glitz and glamor to keep souls enamored—and often deaf to the hunger and thirst in their own soul for the transcendent, for God.
We cannot deny that the rapid changes occurring in our world also present some disturbing signs of fragmentation and a retreat into individualism. The expanding use of electronic communications has in some cases paradoxically resulted in greater isolation… — Pāvests BENEDIKTS XVI, runa Sv. Jāzepa baznīcā, 8. gada 2008. aprīlī Jorkvilā, Ņujorkā; Katoļu ziņu aģentūra
IZLIKUMU TROKSNIS
St. John warns about the temptation to “pride of life.” This is not limited to simply wanting to be rich or famous. Today, it has taken on a more cunning temptation, once again, through technology. “Social 
networking”, while often serving to connect old friends and family, also feeds into a new individualism. With communication services like Facebook or Twitter, the trend is to put one’s every thought and action out there for the world to see, fostering a growing trend of narcissism (self-absorption). This is really in direct opposition to the rich spiritual heritage of the Saints in which idle chatter and frivolity are to be avoided, as they cultivate a spirit of worldliness and inattention.
SIRDS UZGAUDZĪBA
Protams, visu šo troksni nedrīkst uzskatīt par strikti ļaunu. Cilvēka ķermenis un seksualitāte ir Dieva dāvana, nevis apkaunojošs vai netīrs šķērslis. Materiālās lietas nav ne labas, ne sliktas, tās vienkārši ir... līdz mēs tās novietojam uz savas sirds altāra, padarot tās par elkiem. Un internetu var izmantot arī uz labu.
Nācaretes namā un Jēzus kalpošanā bija 
always the background noise of the world. Jesus even walked into “the lions den,” eating with tax collectors and prostitutes. But He did so because He always maintained sirds aizbildnība. Svētais Pāvils rakstīja,
Nepielāgojieties šim laikmetam, bet pārveidojieties ar sava prāta atjaunošanos... (Romiešiem 12:2)
Sirds aizbildniecība nozīmē, ka es neesmu vērsta uz pasaules lietām, pieskaņoties tās bezdievīgajiem ceļiem, bet gan uz Valstību, Dieva ceļiem. Tas nozīmē no jauna atklāt dzīves jēgu un saskaņot savus mērķus ar to…
…atbrīvosimies no ikvienas nastas un grēka, kas mums ir pielipis, un neatlaidīgi darbosimies skrējienā, kas ir mūsu priekšā, vienlaikus nepievēršot uzmanību Jēzum, ticības vadītājam un pilnveidotājam. (Ebr 12:1-2)
In our baptismal vows, we promise to “reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin.” Custody of the heart means avoiding that first fatal step: being sucked into the glamor of evil, which, if we take the bait, leads to being mastered by it.
…katrs, kas izdara grēku, ir grēka vergs. (Jāņa 8:34)
Jesus walked among sinful people, but He kept Hi s heart unstained by continually seeking first the will of the Father. He walked in the truth that women were not objects, but reflections of His own image; in the truth that material things are to be used for the glory of God and the good of others; and by being small, humble, and hidden, meek and gentle of heart, Jesus shunned the worldly power and honor that others would have bestowed on Him.
KEEPING CUSTODY OF THE SENSES
In the traditional Act of Contrition prayed in sacramental Confession, one resolves to ‘sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.’ Custody of the heart means avoiding not just the sin itself, but those well-known traps that would cause me to fall into sin. "Veidot nav pārtikas miesai,” said St. Paul (see Tīģeris būrī.) A good friend of mine says that he hasn’t eaten sweets or had any alcohol in years. “I have an addictive personality,” he said. “If I eat one cookie, I want the whole bag.” Refreshing honesty. A man who avoids even the near occasion of sin—and you can see the freedom in his eyes.
iekāre
Many years ago, a married fellow worker was lusting after the women who were walking by. Noting my lack of participation, he snorted, “One can still look at the menu without having to order!” But Jesus said something quite different:
… katrs, kas skatās uz sievieti ar iekāri, jau ir pārkāpis laulību ar viņu savā sirdī. (Mat. 5:28)
Kā mūsu pornogrāfiskajā kultūrā cilvēks var nekrist laulības pārkāpšanas grēkā ar acīm? Atbilde ir nolikt ēdienkarti 
all together. For one thing, women aren’t objects, commodities to be owned. They are beautiful reflections of the Divine Creator: their sexuality, expressed as a receptacle of life-giving seed, is an image of the Church, which is a receptacle of the life-giving Word of God. Thus, even immodest dress or a sexualized appearance is a snare; it is the slippery slope that leads to wanting more and more. What is necessary, then, is to keep acu aizbildnība:
Ķermeņa lampa ir acs. Ja tava acs ir vesela, viss tavs ķermenis būs piepildīts ar gaismu; bet, ja tava acs ir slikta, visa tava miesa būs tumsā. (Mat. 6:22-23)
The eye is “bad” if we allow it to be dazzled by the “glamor of evil”: if we allow it to wander around the room, if we peruse the magazine covers, sidebar internet pictures, or watch movies or shows that are indecent.
Avert your eyes from a comely woman; gaze not upon the beauty of another’s wife——through woman’s beauty many perish, for lust for it burns like fire. (Sirach 9:8)
It is not a matter then of just avoiding pornography, but all forms of indecency. It means—for some men reading this—a complete transformation of the mind as to how women are perceived and even how we perceive ourselves—the exceptions we justify that, in reality, snare us, and drag us into the misery of sin.
Materiālisms
Varētu uzrakstīt grāmatu par nabadzību. Bet svētais Pāvils, iespējams, to apkopo vislabāk:
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim 6:8-9)
Mēs zaudējam aizbildniecību pār sirdi, vienmēr pērkot kaut ko labāku, nākamo labāko. 
Viens no baušļiem ir neiekārot sava tuvākā lietas. Iemesls, brīdināja Jēzus, ir tāds, ka nevar dalīt savu sirdi starp Dievu un mamonu (mantas).
Neviens nevar kalpot diviem kungiem. Viņš vai nu ienīdīs vienu un mīlēs otru, vai arī būs uzticīgs vienam un nicinās otru. (Mat. 6:24)
Sirds aizbildnības saglabāšana nozīmē lielākoties iegūt to, ko mēs nepieciešams nevis to, ko mēs vēlēties, nevis uzkrājot, bet daloties ar citiem, īpaši nabadzīgajiem.
Pārliekās bagātības, kuras tu krāji un satrūvēji, kad tev tās būtu bijis jādod žēlastībā nabadzīgajiem, liekās drēbes, kas tev piederēja un kuras labprātāk redzēji kodes ēdām, nevis nabago apģērbu, un zelts un sudrabs, tu izvēlējies redzēt melus dīkdienībā, nevis iztērēt nabaga pārtikai; visas šīs lietas, es saku, liecinās pret tevi Tiesas dienā. - Sv. Roberts Belarmīns, Svēto gudrība, Džila Hakadelsa, lpp. 166
Izlikšanās
Sirds aizbildniecība nozīmē arī uzraudzīt mūsu vārdus, būt mūsu mēles aizbildniecība. For the tongue has the power to build-up or tear down, to snare or liberate. So often, we use the tongue out of pride, saying (or typing) this or that in hopes of making ourselves appear more important than we are, or to please others, gaining their approval. Other times, we simply release a wall of words to entertain ourselves by idle chatter.
There is a word in Catholic spirituality called “recollection.” It means simply to remember that I am always in God’s presence, and that He is always my goal and the fulfillment of all my desires. It means recognizing that His will is my food, and that, as His servant, I am called to follow Him in the path of charity. Recollection then, means that I “gather myself up” when I have lost custody of my heart, trusting in His mercy and forgiveness, and once again committing myself to loving and serving Him in pašreizējais brīdis ar visu sirdi, dvēseli, prātu un spēku.
When it comes to social networking, we need to be careful. Is it humble to paste pictures of myself that stroke my vanity? When I “tweet” others, am I saying something that is necessary or not? Am I encouraging gossip or wasting other’s time?
Es jums saku: tiesas dienā ļaudis darīs atskaiti par katru bezrūpīgu vārdu, ko viņi runā. (Mat. 12:36)
Padomājiet par savu sirdi kā par krāsni. Tava mute ir durvis. Katru reizi, atverot durvis, jūs izlaižat siltumu. Kad tu aizvērsi durvis, atceroties Dieva klātbūtnē, Viņa dievišķās mīlestības uguns kļūs arvien karstāka, lai īstajā brīdī tavi vārdi varētu kalpot, lai celtu, atbrīvotu un atvieglotu citu cilvēku dziedināšanu. silts others with God’s love. At those times, even though we speak, because it is in the voice of Love, it serves to stoke the fires within. Otherwise, our soul, and that of others, grows cold when we keep the door open in meaningless or s inful chatter.
Amoralitāti vai jebkādu netīrību vai alkatību jūsu vidū nedrīkst pat pieminēt, kā tas pieklājas svētajiem, nekādas neķītrības vai muļķīgas vai suģestējošas runas, kas ir nevietā, bet gan pateicība. (Ef 5:3-4)
Svešinieki un ceļotāji
Keeping custody of the heart is foreign sounding and counter-cultural. We live in a world that encourages people to experiment with a multitude of sexual acts and lifestyles, plaster themselves all over YouTube, seek to become a singing or dancing “Idol”, and be “tolerant” of anything and anybody (except practicing Catholics). In refusing this kind of noise, Jesus said that we would look odd in the world’s eyes; that they would persecute, mock, exclude and hate us because the light in believers would convict the darkness in others.
Jo ikviens, kas dara ļaunas lietas, ienīst gaismu un nenāk pretī gaismai, lai viņa darbi netiktu atklāti. (Jāņa 3:20)
Keeping custody of the heart, then, is not some outdated practice of bygone ages, but the constant, true, and narrow road that leads to Heaven. It’s just that few are willing to take it, to resist the noise so that they can hear the voice of God that leads to eternal life.
Jo kur ir tava bagātība, tur būs arī tava sirds… Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. (Matt 6:21; 7:13-14)
Mīlestība pret pasaulīgo mantu ir sava veida putnu laima, kas sapina dvēseli un neļauj tai aizlidot pie Dieva. — Hippo Augustīns, Svēto gudrība, Džila Hakadelsa, lpp. 164
SAISTĪTAIS LASĪJUMS:
Paldies par atbalstu!
