Main menu:
newsletter > 2004
"Have I not told you: be strong and stand firm?
Be fearless then, be confident,
for, go where you will,
Yahweh your God
is with you."
(Jos. 1,9)
The entry into the promised land is entrusted not to Moses but to Joshua, the young new man.
A heartfelt welcome goes to the newly appointed confreres to our province: Fr. Tesfamichael wishing him all the best for his fresh beginning in the service of the immigrants in London, and also to Fr. Tekie’ who is replacing Fr. Lorenzo in the demanding role of representing our congregation within the various bodies working for J.&P. in London. Be strong and stand firm, be fearless and confident for you are the man, dear Tesfa and Tekie'! To enter into the battle- field of justice and peace one needs these qualities and the secure guidance of God.Megan McKenna's reflections in her book on Luke's "Blessings and Woes" present a personal interpretation of the beatitudes which I find quite challenging.
"We are accustomed to hearing the Beatitudes expressed, she says, passively: 'Blessed are...'
'Blessed' is the translation of the word makarioi, used in the Greek New Testament. However, when I look further back to Jesus'Aramaic, I find that the original word was ashray, from the verb yashar. Ashray does not have this passive quality to it at all. Instead it means 'to set yourself on the right way for the right goal: to turn around, repent; to become straight or righteous'. How could I go to a persecuted young man in a Palestinian refugee camp, for instance, and say, 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted' or 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven'? That man would revile me, saying that neither I nor my God understood his plight and he would be right about me.
When I understand Jesus world in Aramaic, I translate like this: 'Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for you shall be satisfied. Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you peacemakers, for you shall be called children of God'. To me this reflects Jesus' words and teachings more accurately.
I can hear him saying: 'Get your hands dirty to build a human society for human beings; otherwise, others will torture and murder the poor, the voiceless, and the powerless'. Christianity is not passive but active, energetic, alive, going beyond despair. 'Get up, go ahead, do something, move,' Jesus said to his disciples." (pp. 22-23).
Here in Glasgow, activities have been carried out mainly indoors. A new website has been possible thanks to the co-operation and skills of Fr. Wellington Alves from Brazil. The website will remain a reminder of him now that he goes to South-Sudan. The U.N. has launched this 2004 as the International Year of the Family. Among the family of nations some African states will hold presidential and/or parliamentary elections (visit the website calendar to find out when ) and keep these countries in your community prayers.
Meanwhile, I have restarted gathering the relevant material for J&P of 2003 from the Catholic press. Beginning with this issue of 'Stand up' I want to give you a resume of a topic each time, starting with the commissions for J&P across England and Scotland (for Wales and Ireland I do not have any record). This mention of Ireland gives me the chance to welcome back the third new man to the province Fr. Paddy Burns. I am pretty sure that he will make time to be active also in this field of J&P in Dublin.
That's all, folks! Finally, I suggest that in one way or another some sort of commission for J&P be formed in our Province.