Perspectives

Below is the 16^th in the August Catholic Social Teaching series: Perspectives

All too often one hears phrases and labels thrown around such as “they are all Marxist.”  But when the conversation is pursued the speaker cannot give a definition of such terms as “Marxism”.  There is an admonition in the Wisdom literature of the Bible which says: “be informed first, then offer an opinion” (Proverbs 18).  If we do not know the correct definition of “Social Justice”, of “communal enterprise”, of such terms as “Communism” and “Nazism” then we should be careful of throwing those terms at other people    -

Teresita Scully, MTS

I believe that too often we allow our emotions and not logical, critical thinking to speak for us. We seem to have lost the ability of taking the opportunity to “stop and think” before we respond to what we read, hear or see. For example:

• Do I really know the meaning of the words I use?  

• Do these words or labels truly apply in a particular situation?

• Do I understand the history behind these words or labels?

The Catholic Church teaches us, encourages us, to use discernment in our thoughts, words and actions. . On Wednesday, 31 August 2022, Pope Francis shared the following:

Catechesis On Discernment:  1. What does it mean to discern?

• “In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of discernment with images taken from ordinary life ; for example, he describes the fishers who select the good fish and discard the bad ones; or the merchant who knows how to identify, among many pearls, the one of greatest value. Or he who, ploughing a field, comes across something that turns out to be a treasure (cf. Mt 13:44-48).”

• “In the light of these examples, discernment presents itself as an exercise of intelligence, and also of skill and also of will, to seize the opportune moment: these are the conditions for making a good choice. It takes intelligence, skill, and also will to make a good choice.”

Read more here

Dictionary: discernment (noun)

1. the ability to judge well: "an astonishing lack of discernment"

2. (in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding: "without providing for a time of healing and discernment, there will be no hope of living through this present moment without a shattering of our common life"

These verses emphasize the importance of seeking knowledge and understanding in our lives:

• Proverbs 2:6: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

• Proverbs 18:15: "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out."

• James 1:5: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

• Colossians 1:9: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight."

• Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

In the end, it is up to each of us to either learn or relearn how to take the time to be still and Let God’s Holy Spirit guide us in discerning what we think, see and hear.

 I encourage you to watch the video here