Page 38 - Reflexions of African Bishops and Priests

(continued from page 31) sleep.” The world is full of people like that – before
astrous consequences. we came here, we also had illusions, we were asleep
These reflections make us think that it is today that and did not see reality – but by going towards Jesus
Christ with this attitude of humility, we can help our
we should take our responsibilities. If the “today” of brothers and sisters to see reality as it is. It is by facing
the Kingdom was valid for Jesus Christ, it is also valid reality that we will also, thanks to the inspiration of
for us, it is today that we must commit ourselves in the Holy Spirit, have the strength necessary to com-
the sensitive theme of the organization of finance, to mit ourselves in attacking the seemingly all-powerful
see how we can transform today’s world to make it a enemy who is facing us.
world that is habitable for everyone, a world of peace
and fraternity. May the Spirit of the Lord be with us during this
This does not depend on others, it must start with week of study, so that all the teaching that we receive,
all the reflections that we make here may help us to
us. This reality – the “today” of the Kingdom of God start to make visible in our world, the face of the real
– should become a commitment for you and me; Kingdom that Jesus Christ brought to us. We must
for all of us, so that from our commitment, our small stay prudent and not fall into the desire for power,
contribution that we bring for the construction of this because there, we risk following in the footsteps of
new fraternity will, little by little, be instrumental in the the powerful of this world; we must stay humble and
growth of a great work. This was the mission of Christ. small, perhaps it is only then that our message will be
He did not finish it and we have to adopt the attitude of strong. Amen.
St. Paul that he recommends this morning in the first
reading (Cor. 2:1-5): and that is the attitude of humil- At the end of the week of study, on September 2,
ity. we asked our distinguished guests to give their reflec-
tions. Here is us what Bishop Ambongo said to us:
We can and should be more efficient in our com-
mitment, so that the Kingdom of God may become e came (to Rougemont), we saw, and, as
visible today, if we adopt an attitude of humility. It is other bishops told you, we believed. It is a
by being humble and efficient that we will be able to Wdiscovery. A marvelous discovery that is built
on four small points: first on the luminous contents of
spread our message, like Jesus Christ who said: “I was the Social Doctrine of the Church applied to this finan-
sent to bring the Good News to the poor, to announce cial system of assassins. I know a bit about the Social
liberation to captives, to open the eyes of those who
Doctrine of the Church because I have been a profes-
The seven African bishops and Rougemont’s parish priest (center) celebrating Mass

38 2010 session www.michaeljournal.org