Disgust and Tolerance
Introduction
Social sensitivity is never wanting in any society because people are not robots, they feel pain when harm is inflicted on them, they feel delight when good is done to them. But what is amiss sometimes is the meaning which these feelings convey to the people.
Disgust, or perhaps more appropriately social disgust, is a problem not because it prominently exists in our society. It is paradoxically a problem precisely because seemingly it does not exist!
It is not wrong to feel, it is only wrong when one turns a deaf ear to the implied meaning a feeling gives to him. That is, it is natural to feel and see the abuses of other people. But it is wrong not to feel disgust.
Social disgust is what we need to teach the people when it comes to social evils. Why? Because we priests have the resources of the Word of God and human reason, to give meaning to their ill feelings. This “meaning” in social teachings can more fully resurrect the “dead” feelings of people.
The topics for this month is, by Providence, a meditation into meaning which transforms dead feelings to righteous disgust at social evil.
23rd Week in Ordinary Time A
September 7, 2008
Theme for the Week: Socio-Ethical Solidarity and Structures of Sin:
Real Strangers to One Another
Sunday Readings
Ez. 33:7-9 If you have not warned the wicked man, then I will hold
you responsible for his death.
Rom 13:8-10 Love is the fulfillment of the law.
Mt. 18:15-20 If he listens to you, you have won your brother back.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
“Winning over” an erring brother is a sign of solidarity by way of love, by way of reason, and by way of the demands of community. One on one counseling (fraternal correction) is a sign of fraternal solidarity and love (cf. CSDC, #204, also Detrimental and Beneficial SD, p. 26ff ). Calling more “witnesses to the truth” is calling human reason as witness, a sign of solidarity in truth (cf. Detrimental and Beneficial SD, p. 69ff). Calling the community as witness is a sign of solidarity of life (cf. Detrimental and Beneficial SD, p. 64ff). But we must make our erring brothers listen. (Gospel)
Solidarity means a lot of responsibility. The social implication of sin is evident: evil affects all. The social implication of virtue is implied: good affects all also (first reading).
Love in solidarity means feeling one with an erring brother in his struggle for doing what is right. It requires understanding if needed; punishment if necessary; and consistency of fraternal correction all the time (second reading).
Solidarity means together with your brother, you must see evil as evil.
Maybe it is good to point out the ambiguity of Filipino words of endearment like “kapatid,” “pakikisama,” “Filipino hospitality,” “utang na loob,” “kapamilya,” “kapuso,” “mapangasi” and other melodramatic clichés and pretentious philantrophies.
WEEKDAY GUIDE
Monday: Solidarity as fraternal correction not as condoning. Every sin is an injustice and hence must be addressed to. Please read DBSD, p170: Interdependence
Tuesday: Solidarity seen in the use of modern communication can be an avenue to save the life of the “sick” in mind and heart. Although modern communication is also being made into a structure of sin. Please read DBSD, p170: Communication
Wednesday: Solidarity with the oppressed as overcoming corruption which is the harbinger of financial woes, and not giving “Consuelo de Bobo,” nor kickback-giving, nor percentage-giving, nor Christmas gift-giving, nor mere almsgiving, nor merely praying for them. Please read DBSD, p171: Social Principle
Thursday: Solidarity with the enemies as surrendering sinners to justice and the common good, and not as for-TV-viewing-purposes-only kind of reconciliation. Nor is it that kind which gains an “utang na loob” reserved for political benefit later. Please read DBSD, p172ff: Ethical Value
Friday: “Nemo dat quod non habet.” Solidarity is not merely an “information”, it is preached better with a life in solidarity, hopefully. Please read DBSD, p173ff: Common Awareness
Saturday: The end of solidarity is the common good, which is “the good tree.” Other ends which fall short of serving the common good is a “bad tree” which can only bear bad fruit. The fruit of peace can only come from serving the common good. Please read DBSD, p173ff: Common Development
Complimentary Social Teachings:
CSDC, #192. “Solidarity highlights in a particular way the intrinsic social nature of the human person, the equality of all in dignity and rights and the common path of individuals and peoples towards an ever more committed unity.”
CSDC #196, §2: In (Jesus Christ) and thanks to him, life in society too, despite all contradictions and ambiguities, can be rediscovered as a place of life and hope, in that it is a sign of grace that is continuously offered to all and because it is an invitation to ever higher and more involved forms of sharing...One’s neighbor is then not only a human being with his or her own rights and a fundamental equality with everyone else, but becomes the living image of God.
Readings:
The Philippine Situationer: DBSD, pp13-21.
PCPII Documents: DBSD, pp23-34.
The Principle of Solidarity: CSDC, #192-203.
The Principle of Solidarity: DBSD, pp169-174.
Parallel Commandment
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shall not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.
24th Week in Ordinary Time A
September 14, 2008
Theme for the Week: Social Implications of Sin and Virtue
Sunday Readings
Sir 27:30-28:7 Forgive your neighbor’s faults and when you pray your sins will be
forgiven.
Rom 14:7-9 Whether alive or dead, we belong to the Lord.
Mt. 18:21-35 I tell you that you forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven
times.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
If the sin of Adam brought us all down to die, the virtues of the new Adam is bringing us back to life. According to Jesus, the number of times a man sins or forgives is really immaterial if whatever we do has an effect on other people. The truth is: the more evil we do (no matter how secret or poses no harm to anyone), then the more harm we inflict on others. And the more good we do (no matter how secret or unconscious we are of its effects), then the more good we benefit other people (Gospel).
We are reminded of 2 Corinthians that we Christians make up the mystical Body of Christ. Whatever is the hurt of one member is the hurt of all; and the delight of one is the delight of all (second reading).
To make ourselves good is not a personal affair, it is a social matter of importance (first reading).
WEEKDAY GUIDE
Monday: The social implications of faith (and atheism). DBSD, p79: Entrustment and Accountability, p70: Absolutism, p53: Atheism, p46: Humanism.
Tuesday: The social undertones of death (and life). DBSD, p73: Individualism, p97: Essentially a Social Being
Wednesday: The social realities in ministry and verticalism. DBSD, p30: Social Action Apostolate, p. 24: Action on behalf of Justice; p23: Faith and practice; p32: Special Social Programs; p.38ff Divinism; p.45 Verticalism.
Thursday: The social application of sin and repentance. The priest as representative of the community in the sacrament of Penance.
Friday: The social nature of work and individualism, DBSD, p73: Individualism, p.70 Absolutism, p. 72 Isolationism, p91: Development of the Human Person, p94, Personal and Common Development of All
CSDC, #248: The family, economic life and work, p172ff: Chapter Six: Human Work
Saturday: The social implications of growth and progress. DBSD, p72: Isolationism, p94: Personal and Common Development of All
Complimentary Social Teachings:
Detrimental and Beneficial SD, p174: “Fundamental Values of Social Life”
Parallel Gospel Commandment
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
25th Week in Ordinary Time A
September 21, 2008
Theme for the Week: The Challenge of A Fair God
Sunday Readings
Is. 55:6-9 My thoughts are not your thoughts.
Phil 1:20-24,27 For me, to live is Christ.
Mt. 26:1-16 Why are you jealous because I am generous?
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
The owner of the estate in the parable of Jesus exemplifies God who is fair. And God’s fairness, like the fairness of the owner of the estate, challenges people to judge their own fairness and practice generosity. (Gospel)
If God can be really fair with us, then we sinners should really be destroyed. And yet, it is not only God who challenges our personal standards. There exist absolute standards of morality that challenge our ability of abiding by them (first reading). Abiding by them is more than just obedience; rather, it is conforming to our human dignity because we possess reason and will. Moral standards are properly for humans.
Thus, conforming to moral standards only affirms our human dignity (second reading).
WEEKDAY GUIDE
Monday: The challenge of a life in constant public exposure. DBSD, p105: Observation; DBSD, p79: Entrustment and Accountability, p18: Economy and Politics
Tuesday: The challenge of professionalism. DBSD, p79: Entrustment and Accountability, p18: Economy and Politics
Wednesday: The challenge of consistency between life and belief. DBSD, p134: Decrees: Faith and Practice; p14ff: Pietistic faith, p23: Faith and Practice;
Thursday: The challenge of a “social conscience.” DBSD, p105: Observation, p18: Economy and Politics, p29: Social analysis, p86: Just Society
Friday: The challenge of human judgment and reason. DBSD, p61, Ethical Principles, Moral Norms;
Saturday: The challenge of scripture truth. DBSD, p16: Christian Philippines, p24: Action on behalf of Justice, p25: Social Apostolate, p30: Social Action Apostolate, p32: Special Social Programs,
Complimentary Social Teachings:
CSDC, #138. “In the exercise of their freedom, en and women perform morally good acts that are constructive for the person and for society when they are obedient to truth, that is, when they do not presume to be the creators and absolute masters of truth or of ethical norms.”
CSDC, #140. “The exercise of freedom implies a reference to a natural moral law, of a universal character, that precedes and unites all rights and duties.”
Parallel Commandment
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
26th Week in Ordinary Time A
September 28, 2008
Theme for the Week: What the Poor Really Suffer
Sunday Readings
Ez 18:25-28 When the sinner decides to turn against his sinfulness, he deserves to
live.
Phil 2:1-11 In your minds be as Jesus Christ.
Mt. 21:28-32 He went out moved by regret. The tax collectors and prostitutes will
precede you into the kingdom of God.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
The struggle for holiness is harder especially for the poorest and the most oppressed, the most alienated and the most sick, greatest sinners, than those who live by their means. Yet, God acknowledges their struggles and willingly accepts their conversions. According to the gospel, the red carpet will be spread for them in heaven. (Gospel)
And yet, their struggles are undermined by the “holier- than-thou” people. Only a man of faith can see the hope among the hopeless of society. Only a man of faith can see the “fairness” of a God who forgives (first reading).
It is therefore necessary to live in the Spirit of Jesus, to be able to see through sinners as He sees. That we may be able to see in others what God sees and loves in others (second reading).
WEEKDAY GUIDE
Monday: While the poor are cheating death in a thousand ways everyday, the well-off are competing about who is the greatest.
Tuesday: While the poor seek justice for “petty things,” the well-off assert their “petty rights.”
Wednesday: While the poor struggle to keep their faith alive amid the challenges of poverty, the well-off struggle to keep their money amid the challenges of faith.
Thursday: The poor surrender their dignity in exchange for a little profit, the well-off surrender their little profits for a greater dignity.
Friday: The poor pray for change, the well-off pray for never-ending status quo.
Saturday: The poor have God, the well-off have their money.
Complimentary Social Teachings:
Readings:
DBSD, The Philippine Situation
DBSD, p174: “Fundamental values of social life”
DBSD, p150: “Principle of the Common Good”
Parallel Gospel Commandment
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Note: This is only a guide with ideas with a head start for further development in personal reflection.
