miniZibaldone

From the possibility of doubting everything, it does not follow that it would be good to do that. The necessity of positing the reality of the living is not a theoretical compulsion but is itself a kind of moral evidence. Whoever loves a human, whoever has friends, cannot at the same time doubt the beloved's or the friend's existence. That person must hold the other's being alive as irreducible. And when I say one cannot doubt, I do not mean a physical or logical impossibility, but a moral and,  therefore,  absolute impossibility. Insofar as I doubt his reality, I do not merely bracket somewhat the reality of the friendship; rather, I destroy it. Friendship does not allow for an ontological abstinence, for an epoche . It implies an ontological affirmation. In the case of friendship, this affirmation is not a postulate but a necessary implication. But there, where the relationship to the other does not have the intensity of friendship but is defined by the claim of each to...

A sign of hope, and this sign is called fraternity, because, in fact, in this world at war, we need fraternity, closeness, dialogue and friendship. And this is a  sign of hope: when there is fraternity. From the audience So, in this great Jubilee meeting, the young people of the world received the message of Mercy, to take it everywhere in spiritual and corporal works of mercy. I  thank all the young people that came to Krakow! And I thank those that joined us from all parts of the earth! — as in many countries small Youth Days were held in  connection with Krakow’s. May the gift you received become a daily answer to the Lord’s call....  And today Poland reminds the whole of Europe that the Continent cannot have a future without its founding values, which in turn have the Christian vision of man at  the center. Among these values is mercy, of which two great children of the Polish land were special apostles: Saint Faustina Kowalska and Saint John Paul II.....

Once heroism was gone from the world, to be replaced by universal egoism, real friendship, sacrificial friendship between people who still have active interests and ambitions, became extremely improbable. So even though people have always said that equality is one of the most powerful catalysts of friendship, these days I reckon it’s less likely for two young people to be friends than for a young person with someone older, someone who has strong feelings but is already disenchanted with the world and hence has ceased to expect happiness for himself. No longer gripped by urgent ambitions, the older man is more able to ally himself with someone who is still very involved and to develop a lively and useful interest in him, thus forming, always assuming the other has the spirit to reciprocate, a real and solid friendship. Such a situation seems rather more conducive to friendship than when both people are disenchanted, since if neither has ambitions or interests, there is nothing to build...

A Religion for Our Time by Louis Evely  The Prayer of Modern Man by Louis Evely    Enjoy the Lord by John Catoir   A Spiritual Friendship Anonymous The Noonday Devil by Bernard Basset  The Way to Freedom by Nicolas Caballero   Prayer Is A Hunger by Edward Farrell The Gospel Truth by Mitch Finley  All Shall Be Well by Robert Llewelyn  

On this journey you may perhaps not be able to have the latest car model at the door, you will not have pockets filled with money, but you will have something that no one can take away from you, which is the experience of being loved, embraced and accompanied.   From an address You have asked me for a word of hope, and the one word I have to give you, which is the foundation of everything, is Jesus Christ. When everything seems too much,  when it seems that the world is crashing down on you, embrace his Cross, draw close to him and please, never let go of his hand, even if they are dragging you; and,  if you should fall, allow him to lift you up. Mountain climbers have a lovely song which I like to repeat to young people. As they go up the mountain they sing: “In  the art of climbing upwards, the triumph is not in not falling but rather in not staying down on the ground”. This is the art, and, who is the only one who can take  you by the hand so that you a...

A Spiritual Friendship Anonymous Christians in the Face of Injustice by Ricardo Antoncich  The Book of Miracles by Zsolt Aradi  A Doctor at Calvary by Pierre Barbet  The Noonday Devil by Bernard Basset  Frequent Confession by Benedict Baur  The Gospel and Epistle of John by Raymond Brown  The Community of the Beloved Disciple by Raymond Brown  The Churches the Apostles Left Behind by Raymond Brown  The Way to Freedom by Nicolas Caballero  

From the h omily During Mass at University of Nairobi Today God tells us that we belong to him. He made us, we are his family, and he will always be there for us. “Fear not”, he says to us, “I have chosen you and I promise to give you my blessing” (cf. Is44:2). [...] In obedience to God’s word, we are also called to resist practices which foster arrogance in men, hurt or demean women, do not look after the elderly and threaten the life of the innocent unborn. We are called to respect and encourage one another, and to reach out to all those in need. Christian families have this special mission: to radiate God’s love, and to spread the life-giving waters of his Spirit. This is especially important today, for we are seeing the growth of new deserts created by a culture of materialism selfishness and indifference to others. [full text] From the address at an interreligious, ecumenical meeting in Kenya To be honest, this relationship is challenging; it makes demands of us. ...

Responsibility and Judgment by Hannah Arendt Dream and Reality by Nicolas Berdyaev Freedom and the Spirit by Nicolas Berdyaev Love and Friendship by Anthony Bloom Being and Some Philosophers by Etienne Gilson The Philosopher and Theology by Etienne Gilson The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy by Etienne Gilson The Metaphysical Presuppositions of Being-in-the-World by Caitlin Smith Gilson Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion by G. F. W. Hegel