n
the first night of 2001 I had a dream, triggered, perhaps by images I had seen
just before going to bed. While
waiting to celebrate the entrance of the New Year, I had been looking through a
marvelous book – a gift from Santa – on the restoration of the Vatican’s
Sistine Chapel. It’s possible
that my subconscious may have taken hold of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment, and
reworked it in a dream. Here is
what I saw.
The Lord was coming from the East; with great power and majesty, announced by angels and sun rays, seated, as Matthew says, “on his glorious throne.” So he turned to a group of well-fed people who, embarrassed, were trying to hide themselves behind some children situated on the left of the throne. “You – he said – have already received the recompense of a tranquil life granted you as a reward for the false religiosity you exhibited for all to see. You were given power in stewardship, you had the governing of nations in your hands and the possibility of raising the life standards of my people, of helping the needy, and … you did not do it.”
Peace like War is Waged
Peace plans its strategy and encircles the enemy.
Peace marshals its forces and storms the gates.
Peace gathers its weapons and pierces the defense.
Peace, like war, is waged.
But Christ has turned it all around
The weapons of peace are love, joy, goodness, long-suffering.
The arms of peace are justice, truth, patience, prayer.
The strategy of peace brings safety, welfare, happiness.
The forces of peace are the sons and daughters of God.
Walker Knight
A murmur of disapproval ran through the crowd. “You – the Lord continued – denied me bread when from your abundant table you did not let go of any crumbs which would calm the hunger of a multitude of ‘lazaruses.’ You denied me a mouthful of water when you dug wells to irrigate your gardens instead of using it in the communities with chronic lack of water for their basic necessities, and you also raised the price of services so as to obey the demands of the IMF, without concern for the majority of the people whose life hang on a thread. You denied me clothes when you were protecting the multi-nationals of the free zone, such as the textile industry where women and children were exploited, a matter of shame and dishonor. You denied me education by upping the price of books and paying miserable wages to teachers. I was wanderer with the immigrants who left the unemployment in their lands in search of work since you submitted them to the will of the powerful World Bank. I crossed the frontier with them and I suffered their humiliations when I saw them put their lives and honor on the line in strange land. When you diverted the help given for the victims of hurricanes and floods to build your own houses, it was me you left to sleep under the open skies. I was sick together with the old and the widows and the street kids and you cut down on assistance and medicines. I was a prisoner and you did not visit me often, scoffing at my fate. For all this, stay away from me because you do not deserve to sit at the table which, since ever, my Father prepared for those who were faithful and fulfilled his law to the end.”
Then his face seemed to soften a bit as he turned to the religious leaders who were there, but his voice was more stern as he continued. “You had a still greater responsibility because of the mission I had given you. I had chosen you to take good care of my flock and not to throw them to the wolves. Because you did not keep your promises, they chose rather to serve power and riches. Stay away from me. You shall be forever deprived of the joy of the company of my Father, which is the reward of the just.”
When I woke up we were in the year 2001, the new millennium, the Jubilee Year 2000 had come and gone.
Remembering my dream, it struck me that greater efforts have not yet been made to relieve the Third World of debts, for only when that burden is lifted will the debtor nations have a real chance of addressing their poverty problems. I thought of Michelangelo who in the Last Judgment painted on the wall of the Sistine Chapel had included people of religion in the flames of hell, and I thought of Dante who with Virgil saw soul-less politicians of antiquity in the most terrifying circles of the same horrible place of condemnation.
On New Year’s morning, I went out to visit some relatives and friends. There was abundant snow on the ground, yet there were people on the street hurrying and apparently happy. Their faces projected hope and trust in a better future.
The principle of solidarity reminds us that we are one human family and that we are brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.
(From Xaverian Mission Newsletter)