Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 69 No. 1, 1999.
Stručni rad
Living Out of Faith - Caritas
Milan Špehar
; Teologija u Rijeci - Područni studij Katoličkog bogoslovnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Rijeka, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Caritas is life emanating from faith. Whosoever believes in God, who cannot be seen, has a remarkable means of expressing that faith, namely, to see in our neighbour in need, God himself, as stated by St. John the Apostle. Of course it is not enough just to see, effective action to resolve the situation has to be taken. Whatever has been done to those in need, has been done to Jesus Christ himself, according to His words. As such love toward God the Father and Jesus Christ is realised through love shown to those closest to us in need. By this standard Caritas is not just another humanitarian organisation, nor should it be allowed to turn into a pure philanthropic act. The believer is compelled to act for charity through faith and love towards God. The closer a person is to God the more clearly can God be discerned in those most in need. Through showing charity to those in need, we show God's love for that person.
God our good Father, the one who created us, and who takes care of us through our very selves compels us to such action. As one of the characteristics of God is to give life, we should also, made in the image of God, carry within ourselves fatherly and motherly love towards every person. As such Caritas does not only preach the divine love of God, but also allows for the formation of a new and renewed life.
The faithful often congregate for the Liturgy and the Eucharist (thanks to God). These two dimensions cannot exist without the dimension of Caritas (charity). Only with this third dimension can the pastoral role be fully complete, namely: listening, celebrating and 'diakonia' (service, Caritas-charity). Every parish develops into a proper parish only when all three dimensions are included. The lack of one dimension means incomplete proclamation, imperfect living and a deficiency of faith and love.
Diocesan Caritas's cannot exist without parish Caritas'. Parish Caritas's come into being, firstly by animating parishioners who by their nature are apt to helping others. Then with these specific parishioners and other parishioners an investigation has tο be made in the parish as tο these in need, putting them on a list with those most in need at the top. Then the rest of the parish has to be informed about these people in need and how a joint solution can be found to resolve and help the specific situation. For works of charity it is important to include the whole community and not just existing parish councils. The task of Caritas is not to solve all of the problems, but more so to make people aware and install in them that we can all give something to others.
Voluntary work is something that Caritas cannot be without. Volunteers are those that change structures, means of thinking, are active on the political scene, the economy and in laws and legislation. To be a volunteer means a life style that consists of free giving. Giving at the same time enriches the person that is doing the giving. Volunteers cannot be people who act sporadically, because otherwise the feeling in them of giving freely will abate. For voluntary work to remain a permanent style of life, it is of the uttermost importance, (and the task of Caritas), to educate and form volunteers in religious truths, the social teachings of the Church, legal rules and regulations and in the field that the volunteer is helping in.
In the work of Caritas it is imperative to include young people, who in such work gain an insight into the realities of human living and see their chance to change reality, as any change to reality depends on them. Caritas should also allow all those military conscripts with a conscientious objection to serve their time in social work, instead of in barracks.
Ključne riječi
Charity; God of Love; God the Father; Life of charity; Caritas; an act of faith; celebration; service; Parish Caritas; Voluntary work; conscientious objection
Hrčak ID:
31528
URI
Datum izdavanja:
29.9.1999.
Posjeta: 2.183 *