"It Was Not Enough to Love Theology in Order to Be a Good Priest"
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 24, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is the second part of
the
translation of the question-and-answer session Benedict XVI had with
young
people of the Latium region of Italy on April 6.
The event, in St. Peter's Square, was in preparation for the
diocesan-level
World Youth Day. Part 1 appeared Sunday.
* * *
4. Your Holiness, My name is Vittorio, I am from the Parish of St. John
Bosco in Cinecitt�. I am 20 years old and am studying educational
sciences
at the University of Tor Vergata.
Once again, in your message you invite us not to be afraid to respond
to the
Lord with generosity, especially when he suggests following him in the
consecrated or priestly life. You tell us that if we are not afraid, if
we
trust in him, then we will not be deceived.
I am convinced that many of us, here or among those at home who are
watching
us this evening on television, are thinking of following Jesus in a
life of
special consecration, but it is not always easy to understand if this
is the
right path.
Can you tell us how you yourself came to understand your vocation? Can
you
give us some advice so that we can really understand whether the Lord
is
calling us to follow him in the consecrated or priestly life? Thank
you.
Benedict XVI: As for me, I grew up in a world very different from the
world
today, but in the end situations are similar.
On the one hand, the situation of "Christianity" still existed, where
it was
normal to go to church and to accept the faith as the revelation of
God, and
to try to live in accordance with his revelation; on the other, there
was
the Nazi regime which loudly stated: "In the new Germany there will be
no
more priests, there will be no more consecrated life, we do not need
these
people; look for another career."
However, it was precisely in hearing these "loud" voices, in facing the
brutality of that system with an inhuman face, that I realized that
there
was instead a great need for priests.
This contrast, the sight of that anti-human culture, confirmed my
conviction
that the Lord, the Gospel and the faith were pointing out the right
path,
and that we were bound to commit ourselves to ensuring that this path
survives. In this situation, my vocation to the priesthood grew with
me,
almost naturally, without any dramatic events of conversion.
Two other things also helped me on this journey: Already as a boy,
helped by
my parents and by the parish priest, I had discovered the beauty of the
liturgy, and I came to love it more and more because I felt that divine
beauty appears in it and that heaven unfolds before us.
The second element was the discovery of the beauty of knowledge, of
knowing
God and sacred Scripture, thanks to which it is possible to enter into
that
great adventure of dialogue with God which is theology. Thus, it was a
joy
to enter into this 1,000-year-old work of theology, this celebration of
the
liturgy in which God is with us and celebrates with us.
Of course, problems were not lacking. I wondered if I would really be
able
to live celibacy all my life. Being a man of theoretical and not
practical
training, I also knew that it was not enough to love theology in order
to be
a good priest, but that it was also necessary to be always available to
young people, the elderly, the sick and the poor: the need to be simple
with
the simple.
Theology is beautiful, but the simplicity of words and Christian life
is
indispensable. And so I asked myself: Will I be able to live all this
and
not be one-sided, merely a theologian, etc.?
However, the Lord helped me and the company of friends, of good priests
and
teachers especially helped me.
To return to the question, I think it is important to be attentive to
the
Lord's gestures on our journey. He speaks to us through events, through
people, through encounters: It is necessary to be attentive to all of
this.
Then, a second point, it is necessary to enter into real friendship
with
Jesus in a personal relationship with him and not to know who Jesus is
only
from others or from books, but to live an ever deeper personal
relationship
with Jesus, where we can begin to understand what he is asking of us.
And then, the awareness of what I am, of my possibilities: On the one
hand,
courage, and on the other, humility, trust and openness, with the help
also
of friends, of Church authority and also of priests, of families: What
does
the Lord want of me?
Of course, this is always a great adventure, but life can be successful
only
if we have the courage to be adventurous, trusting that the Lord will
never
leave me alone, that the Lord will go with me and help me.
--- --- ---
5. Holy Father, I am Giovanni, I am 17 years old, I am studying at
Giovanni
Giorgi technological and scientific secondary school in Rome, and I
belong
to Holy Mary Mother of Mercy Parish.
I ask you to help us to understand better how biblical revelation and
scientific theory can converge in the search for truth.
We are often led to believe that knowledge and faith are each other's
enemies; that knowledge and technology are the same thing; that it was
through mathematical logic that everything was discovered; that the
world is
the result of an accident, and that if mathematics did not discover the
theorem-God, it is because God simply does not exist.
In short, especially when we are studying, it is not always easy to
trace
everything back to a divine plan inherent in the nature and history of
human
beings. Thus, faith at times vacillates or is reduced to a simple
sentimental act.
Holy Father, like all young people, I too am thirsting for the truth:
But
what can I do to harmonize knowledge and faith?
Benedict XVI: The great Galileo said that God wrote the book of nature
in
the form of the language of mathematics. He was convinced that God has
given
us two books: the book of sacred Scripture and the book of nature. And
the
language of nature -- this was his conviction -- is mathematics, so it
is a
language of God, a language of the Creator.
Let us now reflect on what mathematics is: In itself, it is an abstract
system, an invention of the human spirit which as such in its purity
does
not exist. It is always approximated, but as such is an intellectual
system,
a great, ingenious invention of the human spirit.
The surprising thing is that this invention of our human intellect is
truly
the key to understanding nature, that nature is truly structured in a
mathematical way, and that our mathematics, invented by our human mind,
is
truly the instrument for working with nature, to put it at our service,
to
use it through technology.
It seems to me almost incredible that an invention of the human mind
and the
structure of the universe coincide. Mathematics, which we invented,
really
gives us access to the nature of the universe and makes it possible for
us
to use it.
Therefore, the intellectual structure of the human subject and the
objective
structure of reality coincide: The subjective reason and the objective
reason of nature are identical. I think that this coincidence between
what
we thought up and how nature is fulfilled and behaves is a great enigma
and
a great challenge, for we see that, in the end, it is "one" reason that
links them both.
Our reason could not discover this other reason were there not an
identical
antecedent reason for both.
In this sense it really seems to me that mathematics -- in which as
such God
cannot appear -- shows us the intelligent structure of the universe.
Now,
there are also theories of chaos, but they are limited because if chaos
had
the upper hand, all technology would become impossible. Only because
our
mathematics is reliable, is technology reliable.
Our knowledge, which is at last making it possible to work with the
energies
of nature, supposes the reliable and intelligent structure of matter.
Thus,
we see that there is a subjective rationality and an objectified
rationality
in matter which coincide.
Of course, no one can now prove -- as is proven in an experiment, in
technical laws -- that they both really originated in a single
intelligence,
but it seems to me that this unity of intelligence, behind the two
intelligences, really appears in our world. And the more we can delve
into
the world with our intelligence, the more clearly the plan of Creation
appears.
In the end, to reach the definitive question I would say: God exists or
he
does not exist. There are only two options. Either one recognizes the
priority of reason, of creative reason that is at the beginning of all
things and is the principle of all things -- the priority of reason is
also
the priority of freedom -- or one holds the priority of the irrational,
inasmuch as everything that functions on our earth and in our lives
would be
only accidental, marginal, an irrational result -- reason would be a
product
of irrationality.
One cannot ultimately "prove" either project, but the great option of
Christianity is the option for rationality and for the priority of
reason.
This seems to me to be an excellent option, which shows us that behind
everything is a great Intelligence to which we can entrust ourselves.
However, the true problem challenging faith today seems to me to be the
evil
in the world: We ask ourselves how it can be compatible with the
Creator's
rationality. And here we truly need God, who was made flesh and shows
us
that he is not only a mathematical reason but that this original reason
is
also love. If we look at the great options, the Christian option today
is
the one that is the most rational and the most human.
Therefore, we can confidently work out a philosophy, a vision of the
world
based on this priority of reason, on this trust that the creating
reason is
love and that this love is God.
� Copyright 2006 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana [adapted]