Card Tagle: following the Gospel, laity protagonists of the "sanctification" of the world
Manila ( AsiaNews / CBCP ) - The laity must bring
the examples and teachings of the Gospel in everyday life of the nation, in
order to actively participate in the " sanctification " of the world
. This
was stated in recent days by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle , at the first General
Assembly of the Archdiocese of Manila ministry ( Magpas ) in 2014, the cardinal
has strongly emphasized the distinctive feature of the laity, which allows them to
transform the world "from within" . Their
mission, he adds, is seeking the Kingdom of God by engaging "in temporal affairs and ordering them according to the plan of God, not
by distancing or escaping from them." The
reference is to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which stressed the
strong call to conversion and the work of the laity in the various sectors in
which they operate in everyday life: politics, economy, science, technology ,
and communications.
Changing
the system, being the bearers of a culture of integrity and honesty, to
participate in the salvific mission of the Church. These
are, according to the Cardinal of Manila, the tasks entrusted to the laity due
to their privileged position as the first witnesses in the world and in
society. The
prelate calls on the faithful "instead
of avoiding being engaged in corrupt-ridden institutions for fear of being
negatively influenced" to "involve themselves more deeply and lead to goodness individuals
who have been eaten by the system. Quoting Vatican II he said that laity "must
enter from within to clean it. That is how a laity should be," he said.
"Instead of being afraid that you will be influenced by the bad system, be the
one to influence it to goodness".
The
Archbishop of Manila invited lay people to renew the society, culture ,
politics and the economy. The
laity, he warned, can "transform the Filipino culture , into a culture of
integrity and honesty ," a culture that is dominated by the "common
good" and not mere selfishness. They
should not give into temptation, but maintain a strong faith to relying on the
strength "that comes not from ourselves but from Christ."
Finally
, Cardinal Tagle said that " the lay apostolate is active participation in
the salvific mission of the Church" and that's why the faithful must
engage with renewed vigor in the affairs of the state. The
role of the laity is becoming increasingly important, also to compensate for
the lack of priests and religious, the prelate noted that there is one priest
for every 30 thousand people, this reiterates the call to an ever more active
participation. "We
have to put aside the idea that they are less important because they do not
consecrated", concluded the archbishop of Manila , according to whom
" every baptized person is one with Christ [...] and incardinated in the
life of the Church ."
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