The ingenuity of the human being
Monday, August 10, 2009
Father Luis A. Rivero
Have you ever been to New York City? Whether you have or not, I am sure I can name some landmarks that are so internationally known that everyone can see them in their mind’s eye - landmarks such as the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, Times Square, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick Cathedral,
to name a few.
Having just completed the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program here, I have been privileged and blessed to be working and living in New York City for the past two-and-a-half months. During this time I have been in the midst of skyscrapers and historical landmarks, among peoples of every nation and creed. I have had the opportunity to minister to those who have served in one way or another in the U.S. Armed Forces (I was working in the Veterans Administration Hospital). I have spoken to many people and learned so many things. The commute to and from the work sites was shared with hundreds of thousands who take the subway every day. To say the least, New York is a metropolitan city with all the hustle and bustle that entails.
It was not until last week, however, after a long day of work, that I stopped to look around me and marvel at the ingenuity of the human being. All that was around me was man-made: skyscrapers towering 60 stories high, billboards with millions of light bulbs, hundreds of thousands of people walking and riding towards their destination. I stopped, looked around and could not help but think that all this ingenuity had to come from Something Greater, Someone bigger, namely God. None of this would be possible if it were not for God’s gift of life and intelligence. Yet how often do we go through life without stopping and recognizing the Source of those gifts?
Many times we focus our attention on the temporal things - buildings, landmarks, the beauty of creation, our political affiliation or opinion, our work, school, family, creed, even our preference in liturgical celebrations - and we lose sight of what’s truly important. We lose sight of the fact that God has given us the tools and intelligence we require to develop that so-called “human ingenuity” – and we do not stop to contemplate and give thanks to the One who gave them to us.
Needless to say, the ingenuity of the human being is a part of God’s plan, for He made us for Himself, for that fullness that only He can give us. We can very well develop our ingenuity and build larger skyscrapers, add more lights to Times Square, extend the subway system, live on the moon, if we want. Yet all of the products of our ingenuity, all our striving to build and create, boil down to our desire to fill ourselves with the Source and Origin of it all, namely God. All of the temporal things we do, build or promote are nothing but dust if we do not see in them our desire for the Infinite, who is God.
I ask you, as I did last week in the midst of the skyscrapers and landmarks, have you stopped to recognize that everything that is around you – and within you - comes from God?
Deacon Luis A. Rivero
Seminarian, Transitional Deacon, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach
Comments from readers
On the other hand, do you know Deacon Ian Taylor Dunsmore? He is my cousin and I would like to know about him. I haven't seen him since he left Chile to live in the U.S.A.
Kind Regards,
Estrella.
Mr. Barrera,
We are saying the same thing just approaching it from two different angles (ie. via positiva and via negativa). The point being that without God nothing is possible. We have to stop and praise God. Furthermore, direct our energies and many gifts and talents to praise Him! I am not praising the landmarks so please don't get caught up in the examples. I would also defer you to the latest encyclical of our Holy Father "Charity in Truth".
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Cheryl,
Thank you for taking the time to read the blog post. I join you in that prayer.
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Martha,
Thank you for your prayers! Yes, Matias has arrived here to begin his theological studies. Please continue to pray for him and support him.
Perhaps that was quickly written, and I'd like to give Deacon Rivero the benefit of the doubt, but I'd still like to offer my two cents just in case it is worded correctly.
If it is, I fear Mr. Barreda is right to be worried about what these young men are being taught.
Focusing on the beauty of Creation is precisely the opposite of what a materialistic heart would gear the mind towards. Our Lord created the world and everything in it for man to enjoy, appreciate, and marvel at. The world and universe is so complex and so vast as to aid us in understanding how complex and infinite God is. Indeed, one who progresses in his understanding of Creation and its purpose is turned away from atheism and materialism and other things THAT DON'T MATTER.
From the Magisterium from time immemorial comes the constant teaching that many political matters that we take today and say "ahh this is all just opinion and doesn't matter anyway" is totally false. Many of the matters are intimately linked to our faith, and therefore ultimately concern the salvation of our soul. It matters, more than anything any of us could ever imagine. The "your truth" and "my truth" modern concoction flops on it's face just by examining the words themselves. How can there by two contradicting, opposing truths? Political matters often involve things that actually involve the social doctrine of the Church, Our Lord Jesus Christ's right's as King, and other very serious things.
Work, school and family, while all temporal, certainly really matter as the first two are linked to ones vocation in life while the third is linked not just to ones vocation but also to ones responsibilities towards aiding others to Heaven, especially for parents. This is also utterly important.
In our Creed and our preference in liturgical celebrations comes the method in which we honor God, which then becomes the primary point to Deacon Rivero's entire article. That we should stop and give thanks. I couldn't agree more. The way to do that is by proper Creed and proper liturgical celebrations, rooted in Tradition and the hermenutic of continuity that our Holy Father speaks of, rather than the hermeneutic of rupture that so many of us have had to endure (again words of our Holy Father).
Holding the true Creed and faithful observance of liturgical celebrations are intimately linked with our salvation and nothing could be more important than our duty towards Almighty God. As the Church teaches, we must know Him (right Creed) and love (adore) Him (proper worship) and serve Him (by serving our families and neighbors and saving our own soul) in order to be happy with him in Heaven.
What could be more important? Nothing.
I guess to summarize, the way to honor God then is to fulfill our duties and live out some of the very things that are mentioned as temporal. Without doing those basic things, the honor and praise to God is not realized to its potential, and indeed we risk losing our souls.
Perhaps I misunderstood some of what Rev. Mr. Rivero was trying to say, but I think a few of us have come away with a different message.
Peace to you.
Martha Selaya