CHANGE EVERYTHING INTO BREAD
It’s our big temptation. Reduce everything to the horizon of our life for the mere satisfaction of our desires; pawn ourselves in changing everything into bread with which to feed our appetites.
Our greatest satisfaction, and sometimes our only one, is to absorb and consume products, articles, objects, spectacles, books, TV. Until love has frequently ended up changed into mere sexual satisfaction.
We run the risk of seeking pleasure way beyond the limits of necessity, even to the detriment of our very life and our living together. We end up fighting to satisfy our desires, though it be at the cost of everyone else, provoking competition and war among ourselves.
We deceive ourselves if we think that this is the path to liberation and life. On the contrary, have we ever experienced that the aggravated pursuit of pleasure leads to boredom, loathing, and emptiness of life? Aren’t we seeing that a society that cultivates consumption and satisfaction does nothing but generate a lack of solidarity, irresponsibility and violence?
This civilization that has «educated» us for the unreasonable and out-of-bounds pursuit of pleasure, needs a change of direction that can infuse us with a new breath of life.
We need to return to the desert. Learn from Jesus, who denied himself the working of miracles for pure utility, whim, or pleasure. Listen to the truth that is enclosed in his unforgettable words: «Human beings live not on bread alone, but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God».
Don’t we need to free ourselves from our greed, selfishness and superficiality, in order to awaken in us love and generosity? Don’t we need to listen to God, who invites us to enjoy creating solidarity, friendship and fraternity?
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
