"...the astonishing experience of gift" --Pope Emeritus

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I begin Chapter 3, in this beautiful social encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, “Caritas in veritate” (Charity in Truth):

CHAPTER THREE -FRATERNITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY

1. Charity in truth places man before the astonishing experience of gift. Gratuitousness is present in our lives in many different forms, which often go unrecognized because of a purely consumerist and utilitarian view of life. The human being is made for gift, which expresses and makes present his transcendent dimension. Sometimes modern man is wrongly convinced that he is the sole author of himself, his life and society. This is a presumption that follows from being selfishly closed in upon himself, and it is a consequence — to express it in faith terms — of original sin. The Church’s wisdom has always pointed to the presence of original sin in social conditions and in the structure of society: “Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined to evil gives rise to serious errors in the areas of education, politics, social action and morals” (cf CCC 407). In the list of areas where the pernicious effects of sin are evident, the economy has been included for some time now. We have a clear proof of this at the present time. The conviction that man is self-sufficient and can successfully eliminate the evil present in history by his own action alone has led him to confuse happiness and salvation with immanent forms of material prosperity and social action. Then, the conviction that the economy must be autonomous, that it must be shielded from “influences” of a moral character, has led man to abuse the economic process in a thoroughly destructive way. In the long term, these convictions have led to economic, social and political systems that trample upon personal and social freedom, and are therefore unable to deliver the justice that they promise. As I said in my Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi, history is thereby deprived of Christian hope, deprived of a powerful social resource at the service of integral human development, sought in freedom and in justice. Hope encourages reason and gives it the strength to direct the will. It is already present in faith, indeed it is called forth by faith. Charity in truth feeds on hope and, at the same time, manifests it. As the absolutely gratuitous gift of God, hope bursts into our lives as something not due to us, something that transcends every law of justice. Gift by its nature goes beyond merit, its rule is that of superabundance. It takes first place in our souls as a sign of God’s presence in us, a sign of what he expects from us. Truth — which is itself gift, in the same way as charity — is greater than we are, as Saint Augustine teaches. Likewise the truth of ourselves, of our personal conscience, is first of all given to us. In every cognitive process, truth is not something that we produce, it is always found, or better, received. Truth, like love, “is neither planned nor willed, but somehow imposes itself upon human beings”.

Because it is a gift received by everyone, charity in truth is a force that builds community, it brings all people together without imposing barriers or limits. The human community that we build by ourselves can never, purely by its own strength, be a fully fraternal community, nor can it overcome every division and become a truly universal community. The unity of the human race, a fraternal communion transcending every barrier, is called into being by the word of God-who-is-Love. In addressing this key question, we must make it clear, on the one hand, that the logic of gift does not exclude justice, nor does it merely sit alongside it as a second element added from without; on the other hand, economic, social and political development, if it is to be authentically human, needs to make room for the principle of gratuitousness as an expression of fraternity.

What the Poe has written here is so profound, I cannot add a word to it, but ponder it with you, thanking God for the gift of wisdom so evident in our now Pope Emeritus, Pope Benedict XVI.

 

[fhansen]

Thank you. A gift himself -of an amazing mind with amazing faith.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you. A gift himself -of an amazing mind with amazing faith.

Yes, indeed! Thanks for your reply.

 

[tafan]

Thank you for posting this, it is beautiful.

If I may say one thing about the thread’s title; is it just me or does it bother anyone else when you hear Pope Benedict’s papal writings as the writings of Pope Emeritus Benedict. I certainly can understand that for anything he writes now, just like I can understand why one might refer to his writings from years prior to being pope as those of Cardinal Ratzinger’s. But we refer to the encyclicals of Pope John Paul II as written by Pope John Paull II, as with every other previous pope. But it seems like some somehow Pope Benedict’s writings are not given quite the due respect when they are referred to as the Pope Emeritus’s words. It doesn’t happen that often, I certainly do not mean to pick on the OP, it just seems to happen often enough that I notice it.

 

[HCTC]

Thank you for posting this, it is beautiful.

If I may say one thing about the thread’s title; is it just me or does it bother anyone else when you hear Pope Benedict’s papal writings as the writings of Pope Emeritus Benedict. I certainly can understand that for anything he writes now, just like I can understand why one might refer to his writings from years prior to being pope as those of Cardinal Ratzinger’s. But we refer to the encyclicals of Pope John Paul II as written by Pope John Paull II, as with every other previous pope. But it seems like some somehow Pope Benedict’s writings are not given quite the due respect when they are referred to as the Pope Emeritus’s words. It doesn’t happen that often, I certainly do not mean to pick on the OP, it just seems to happen often enough that I notice it.

I don’t feel that the title “Pope Emeritus” is in anyway disrespectful or in anyway distracts from the timeless value and beauty of this encyclical. At this moment in time Joseph Ratzinger is “Pope Emeritus” and should be so identified. It is a gift beyond measure, in my humble opinion, that he is present with us still as we get to read and appreciate his writings in the context of the last eight years. I feel certain that his retirement, and thus the title “Pope Emeritus,” is a work of the Holy Spirit and a grace for the benefit of us all.

 

[MariaChristi]

I don’t feel that the title “Pope Emeritus” is in anyway disrespectful or in anyway distracts from the timeless value and beauty of this encyclical. At this moment in time Joseph Ratzinger is “Pope Emeritus” and should be so identified. It is a gift beyond measure, in my humble opinion, that he is present with us still as we get to read and appreciate his writings in the context of the last eight years. I feel certain that his retirement, and thus the title “Pope Emeritus,” is a work of the Holy Spirit and a grace for the benefit of us all.

Dear HCTC and tafan,

It is a unique time in our history to have seen a Pope step down because of his health and thus we have two men living, who legitimately bear the title of Pope. I began posting the excerpts from Pope Benedict’s encyclical using his title as Pope Benedict XVI because that is how he signed his encyclical at the time it was written.

Nevertheless, I posted this most recent excerpt with his title as “Pope Emeritus” simply because that is the name he has accepted and is perhaps more accurate at this time. It seems to me both this and the title as “Pope Benedict XVI” can be used with great respect. Personally I do not like to use merely “Joseph Ratzinger” although that is his Baptismal name; I prefer to use his ordained status as Pope. Others may use his Baptismal name with great respect. We can only read and determine by what they say if he is being disrespected or respected by anyone. If we are not sure then it seems good to ask. So I thank tafan for the opportunity to clarify and assure all readers of my utmost love and respect for our now Pope Emeritus who had previously taken the name of Pope Benedict XVI. He continues to be a great gift to the Church.

I appreciate both your replies. I hope you both continue to read his encyclical on “Charity and Truth”, and I hope others also read his encyclicals and other writings. This particular encyclical is simply beautiful to me, and has helped me more than I even hoped in my beginning to read it.

 

[tafan]

Let me be clear, I have no problem with the title Pope Emeritus. And certainly I think it proper that anything he write or says now to be identified by that title. But his actual Papal writings should be identified as the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, as are the writings of every other former pope. And they usually are, it’s just I occasionally see otherwise and that always strikes me as somewhat improper.
God Bless

 

[MariaChristi]

Let me be clear, I have no problem with the title Pope Emeritus. And certainly I think it proper that anything he write or says now to be identified by that title. But his actual Papal writings should be identified as the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, as are the writings of every other former pope. And they usually are, it’s just I occasionally see otherwise and that always strikes me as somewhat improper.
God Bless

Thanks for the clarification, tafan. You are probably right. I just had not thought of it in exactly that way.