“When words shouldn’t remain empty and meaningless”
This note first expresses solidarity to the struggling folk in this season of Lent.
As the folk commemorate the passion and glory of the saviour Jesus Christ, this solemn occasion means a time to reflect, to renew, and to take wholeheartedly the love and sacrifice what God made to every heart and mind especially in a time of crisis.
However, despite such messages especially from the current order, words like "forgiveness", "love", "solidarity", among others, is not being taken seriously as injustices and oppression still occur. And it is not surprising that from these messages are rephrased statements from the past whose thought is far from its actual action such as driven by self-interest.
Right is His Holiness Pope Francis in his "Fratelli Tutti" that certain words are being bent and shaped as tools to dominate, and as meaningless tags to justify actions- that mostly contrary to the spirit of the message. Especially in the presence and pressure of recent events, those words stated above, being babbled by those from the order would be enough to say trying to rally people- especially those having enough of oppression or injustice, of systemic corruption to that of rising costs of living, that those from the order would appeal to everyone's faith, or conscience despite such inconvenient truths that same order failed to address what more doing so just to maim growing dissent.
For sure there are christians who ought to downplay this message, that Christianity should focus on spiritual redemption than social reform, that "There is no such thing as society" as what Thatcher said, but Christ's message, action, what more his sacrifice is itself paved way to social reform. As according to Daniel Lyons SJ, that "Christ came to found a religion; He taught no formal social science. But the religious principles He laid down revolutionized social science; in fact, they brought it into being. Fully one-half of Christ's recorded sayings are social in character, that is, they deal with man's relations with his fellow-man, which is the very definition of sociology. When Christ reduced His commandments to two, the first dealt with the love of God, the other with the love of one's fellow man: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself". Of the Ten the first three deal with man's duties towards God, while the other seven are concerned with man's social duties."
Words like "Love," "Solidarity," and other concepts should be understood by Christians as calls to action as well as thought. A spiritual rejuvenation achieved by introspection and prayer needs to be complemented by deeds, such as providing for the impoverished, healing the ill, or standing out for social justice and the truth. Call it radical or revolutionary, but the objective of the faithful is the life to come, just like Christ, through whom God's love is made evident.
Jesus Christ fulfilled his obligation. Nevertheless, He spent His time demonstrating unending compassion for the populace, especially for the uncontrollable masses.
And by following Christ, it is the duty to serve the people all for the kingdom come.