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Dear Friends...
“Alive evermore...” Fr. Stuart helps us find the meaning of the Resurrection...
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esus not only died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3); he also, by the grace of God, tasted death for every one (Hebrews 2:9). It was a real death that put an end to his earthly human existence. Jesus died in mid afternoon and the Sabbath began at 6:00 pm. Since the Jewish law permitted no work on the Sabbath, the
tells us that he was “good and righteous” and “looking for the kingdom of God”. Although he did not stand up for Jesus at his trial, he, nonetheless, sought to honor him in his death by giving him a proper burial. This was to fulfill what the prophet Isaiah had foretold: “He was cut off out of the land of the living ..and they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:8-9). In the Book of Revelations, the Lord Jesus speaks: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one: I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelations 1:1718). No tomb in the world could contain the Lord Jesus for long. His death on the cross purchased our redemption and his triumph over the grave on
body had to be buried quickly. Someone brave enough would have to get permission from the Roman authorities to take the body and bury it. The bodies of executed criminals were usually left unburied as carrion for the vultures and dogs. Jesus was spared this indignity through the gracious intervention of Joseph of Arimethea. Who was this admirer and secret disciple of Jesus? Luke tells us that Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish council that condemned Jesus. We are told that he did not agree with their verdict. He was either absent from their meeting or silent when they tried Jesus. What kind of man was Joseph? Luke
Easter morning defeated death. What preserved the Lord Jesus from corruption? He was kept from decay and he rose from the dead by divine power. “My flesh will dwell in hope. For you will not let your Holy One see corruption” (Psalm 16:910). The mystery of Christ’s lying in the tomb on the sabbath reveals the great sabbath rest of God after the fulfillment of our salvation which brings peace to the whole world (Colossians. 1:18-20). Is your hope in this life only, or is it well founded in the resurrection of Christ and his promise that those who believe in him will live forever? “Lord Jesus, you died that I might live forever in your kingdom of peace and righteousness. Strengthen my faith that I may know the power of your resurrection and live in the hope of seeing you face to face for ever.” Happy Easter Fr Stuart
Ladies Cursillo
A ladies Cursillo will be held next month: Thursday 22nd April - Sunday 25th April 2010 Contact Fr. Stuart Chipolina. Tel: 77135 or Eric Goldwin: 20078212 Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor Fr. Stuart Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.eu Production Editor: A. Sargent angela@europeaxess.com Cover: Bishop Emeritus Caruana announces the appointment of a BishopElect. Fhoto: A. Sargent Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media as a not-for-profit project.
To advertise: This magazine is hand-delivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: 200 79335 email angela@europeaxess.com Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. EuropeAxess Media reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements.
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Fr. Ralph Heskett CSsR Bishop-Elect of Gibratar T
he Holy See announced on Thursday 18th March that the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Fr. Ralph Heskett CSsR of the Redemptorist Community and Parish of ‘Our Lady of the Annunciation’, Bishop Eton, Liverpool, as Bishop of Gibraltar. During a Press Conference held in the Bishop’s Parlour at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned the following text was presented: “The Clergy of the Diocese of Gibraltar would like to take this opportunity on the announcement by the Holy See of the Appointment of Fr. Ralph Heskett CSsR as Bishop of Gibraltar, to congratulate and heartily welcome the new Bishop-Elect to our Diocese. Bishop-Elect Heskett is well known to all the priests of
the Diocese and has been a frequent visitor to the Rock to give Missions and to supply in different Parishes. He has developed a great bond with the local clergy which has lasted for many years and which will, no doubt, be strengthened by his appointment as the new Bishop. The Clergy look forward to working with the new bishop in this awesome task that the Church has called him to undertake, assuring him of their wholehearted support and prayers. At the same time, the Clergy would like to express their gratitude to Bishop Charles Caruana for his untiring and selfless work during his Episcopal Ministry to this Diocese of Gibraltar, noting especially his faithful and fatherly care for his priests. All the priests would like to wish Bishop Caruana a long,
happy and fruitful retirement.” As all the Cathedral bells peeled out during the Press Conference, announcing that a new Bishop had been elected for Gibraltar Bishop Caruana gave a special message to the people, thanking them for the love and support they had shown him during his Episcopate. When asked what the new Bishop should expect to find in Gibraltar His Lordship answered “He will find a vibrant, demanding church, where one is expected to be on call all the time, ‘On the button’ “. Meanwhile Bishop Caruana will take up the position of Diocesan Administrator, and assured those present that there was still plenty of work to be done. As the magazine goes to press Bishop-Elect Heskett is giving a mission in Essex, he has a full diary of such commitments,
Bishop-Elect Ralph Heskett CSsR has been a regular visitor to Gibraltar for many years. many of which have been booked one or even two years in advance. He will be visiting Gibraltar at the first opportunity during April and has chosen the date 10th July for his episcopal ordination, the same day as his priestly ordination 34 years ago.
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Spreading the Devotion to Our Lady of Europe
A Successful 1st Bishop Caruana points out how to prevent New Europe becoming a spiritual wasteland
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t midday on the 7th March 2010 Bishop Caruana gave a homily to members of the First Marian Congress at the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, during the closing Mass of the three day academic Marian Congress. Bishop Caruana said: “In the gospel of today they talk of a fig tree that was planted in a vineyard. Oddly enough, even though it was planted in a vineyard, the tree was sterile. In a similar way, the New Europe, having being developed on this continent with Judeo/Christian roots, should shine due to its values and principles derived from the sacred scripts and the
XVI last year, entitled Caritas et Veritatis, he states quite clearly how to change what is happening. As with the gospel of today, which suggests that the fig tree be left standing and cultivation with good compost be carried on around it, the Holy Father tells us how to save this situation.” Bishop Caruana then highlighted several points from the conclusion of the encyclical: “In the face of the enormous problems surrounding the development of peoples, which almost make us yield to discouragement, we find solace in the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ, who teaches us: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5) and then encourages us: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20). As we contemplate the vast amount of work to be done, we are sustained by our faith that God is present alongside those who come together in His name to work for justice. The
revelation. But the opposite is true. Benedict XVI has shown the same concern for this current situation as his predecessor John Paul II. Certain influential illuminati would like to see the making of a state-based church, with new principles and values created by themselves. It is a sad situation, and regrettable because they would be substituting that which God has dictated, and which is deep-rooted in the cultures of European countries, with that which has been invented by man. The New Europe will be sterile. The solution. In the last encyclical launched by his holiness Pope Benedict
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greatest service to development, is a Christian humanism[157] that enkindles charity and takes its lead from truth, accepting both as a lasting gift from God. Openness to God makes us open towards our brothers and sisters and towards an understanding of life as a joyful task to be accomplished in a spirit of solidarity. On the other hand, ideological rejection of God and an atheism of indifference, oblivious to the Creator and at risk of becoming equally oblivious to human values, constitute some of the chief obstacles to development today. A humanity which excludes God is an inhuman humanity. Only a humanism open to the Absolute can guide us in the promotion and building of forms of social and civic life — structures, institutions, culture and ethos — without exposing us to the risk of becoming ensnared by the fashions of the moment. Awareness of God’s undying
Marian Congress
love sustains us in our laborious and stimulating work for justice and the development of peoples, amid successes and failures, in the ceaseless pursuit of a just ordering of human affairs. God’s love calls us to move beyond the limited and the ephemeral, it gives us the courage to continue seeking and working for the benefit of all, even if this cannot be achieved immediately and if what we are able to achieve, alongside political authorities
and those working in the field of economics, is always less than we might wish[158]. God gives us the strength to fight and to suffer for love of the common good, because he is our All, our greatest hope. Development needs Christians with their arms raised towards God in prayer, Christians moved by the knowledge that truth-filled love, caritas in veritate, from which authentic development proceeds, is not produced by
us, but given to us. For this reason, even in the most difficult and complex times, besides recognizing what is happening, we must above all else turn to God’s love. Development requires attention to the spiritual life, a serious consideration of the experiences of trust in God, spiritual fellowship in Christ, reliance upon God’s providence and mercy, love and forgiveness, self-denial, acceptance of others, justice and peace. All this is essential if “hearts of stone” are to be transformed into “hearts of flesh” (Ezek 36:26), rendering life on earth “divine” and thus more worthy of humanity. All this is of man, because man is the subject of his own existence; and at the same time it is of God, because God is at the beginning and end of all that is good, all that leads to salvation: “the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:22-23). Christians long for
the entire human family to call upon God as “Our Father!” In union with the only-begotten Son, may all people learn to pray to the Father and to ask him, in the words that Jesus himself taught us, for the grace to glorify him by living according to his will, to receive the daily bread that we need, to be understanding and generous towards our debtors, not to be tempted beyond our limits, and to be delivered from evil (cf. Mt 6:9-13). After the Mass the Co-ordinator of the Marian Congress, Jesús Lopez Alfonso was effusive in hs delight at the success of the event saying that further events had been mooted during the three days. Presentations covered the theme of “Mary as a sign of Christian identity” in the fields of Religion, Anthropology, History and Art. There were 110 delegates, all Professors or Doctors of Marian Theology from all over Iberia as well as Sicily.
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How Individuals and Businesses support the Fabric of the Church
Discover the beautiful new artworks, experience the silence of its star studded ceiling...
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ith a history stretching back over two thousand years the Church has played a prominent role in civilization. As Christianity spread, it became more accepted by Governments making it possible to build places for Christian worship. Built in a neo-Gothic style, the first stone was laid at Sacred Heart Church, in 1874. Over one hundred years later this stylish and imposing building has become a well known local landmark on our Rock. Walking through the early morning Monday sunshine of the 1st March, (yes really, after so much
which there would be no sense of timelessness. I got a sense of space standing before the main altar which James told me had changed so much over the years. When the Vatican council in the 1960’s issued new liturgical instructions the church was immediately adapted, but it would seem with some haste as out went the reredos made of Carrara marble, but some of the marble was used to make the
rain!) to meet James NuĂąez who would guide me through its history, I reflected rather ruefully that this would be my first visit to this Church despite my many years on the Rock. It was an appropriate time to visit I told myself as this year, 2010, the Diocese of Gibraltar, part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, celebrates its centenary. The Church is older than the Diocese and going through its doors I was absorbed into the lofty silence of its star studded ceiling, softly glowing stained-glass windows, statues of well known saints, and its musty smell of age without
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present altar. Hanging from the high ceiling in front of the altar is an impressive crucifix painted front and back by local artist Shane Dalmedo. It is distinctive and unique without being overpowering and suits the overall effect of the recent beautification. James was drawing my attention to the paintings behind the altar, works of Jessica Sanguinetti, and all around the Church
Photo: Anne Mesilio
Exploring Sacred
Anne Mesilio
Heart Church
the decorative gold leaf of Lionel Linares is very much in evidence, a particular favourite of Fr. Victor Ghio I understand. Fr. Victor is the parish priest but currently away studying in Rome, and the Panamanian priest, Fr. Jonathan who is holding the fort, so to speak, came in and we exchanged brief smiling hellos. James was directing my gaze upwards to the paintings by Manolo Martinez which are set in the vaulted ceiling amid the stars, and then to the Stations of the Cross which Shane has brought back to life. Gold crosses by John Dalmedo are evident on the pillars. The benches have been replaced with new ones. It has been a team effort which brought about the much needed beautification work. It was this same sense of community which brought the people together in the first place in 1873 as they organized events to raise money for the building of the Church. This was led by the then Bishop, Juan B. Scandella, who, leading by example sold a private dwelling he owned, raffles were held, bazaars and jumble sales took place, donations came from abroad and within six months it was possible to lay the first stone in a ceremony attended by 4, 000 people. Sadly the Bishop died before the work was finished and he was buried where the altar stands now but with only the sky for a roof. This same sky is reflected in the beautiful star
studded ceiling which encloses the Church today atop its flowing pillars. James explained; “It was Fr. Ghio’s idea when we started on the beautification project. The stars are made of plaster, painted red then varnished in gold. Triangle panels were made on which to stick them and these
were put in place, one by one on the ceiling to give the overall effect”. I considered this feat effective and impressive. It must be said that all this hard work was undertaken voluntarily. The church is a legacy of faith and vision as this area of the Rock in the late 1800’s was considered poor and it must stand as a testament to the people’s devotion. The building works were carried out by Maltese workers who used 800 hundred tons of Maltese stone, soft white limestone which gave the Church a glowing white colour making it the most attractive looking church on the Rock. Oh, the ravages of time! Havoc of another kind was to wreak destruction on the Church when the armament ship “Bedenham” unloading at the Gun Wharf, exploded in April 1951. Thirteen people died and widespread damage was experienced over the Rock. The
Churches The origin thirty six stained glass al windows, donated by different altar. people in memory of departed ones were shattered, paintings were destroyed leaving the Church a sorry sight. Before
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How Individuals and Businesses support the Fabric of the Church
Exploring Sacred Heart Church cont. that, during WW2, (1940-48) an attempt was made by the military to convert the Church into a storehouse, but Bishop Fitzgerald persuaded the Governor to use it as a military Chaplaincy, saving it from secular use until it was handed back in 1948. The Church was first given the status of parish in 1889. This was lost five years later when the Bishop entrusted the care
returned cured of his illness. In thanksgiving he presented one to the Sacred Heart Church, one to the Cathedral and one to St. Joseph’s church. (There is another, (unverified) statue in Our Lady of Sorrows, Catalan Bay). The novena continues to this day and James showed me a collection of commerative cards beginning in 1915 with the war years missing. I was quite touched by this excellent record of devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1994 the Church regained its parish status with Fr. Charles Caruana (our present Bishop) installed as parish priest, and finally, on June 18th, 1993, feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this historic church was finally consecrated. In 2001, as the beautification works were nearing an end and the newly commissioned stained glass windows had been installed it was realized that it was to be the 50th anniversary of the “Bedenham” explosion and the service reflected this in honouring the dead whose names were read out. As James shared its history it
of the Church to the Claretian priests from Spain who were to provide an excellent service to the people of the parish and various institutions on the Rock at the time, e.g. hospital, prison, schools and orphanages. They left with the evacuees at the beginning of WW2. These war years were filled with hardships for the uprooted population sent far away from home, and there can be little doubt but that the Rock suffered neglect at it became a military fortress. Community spirit had to be rebuilt but the people did not forget and on their return carried on the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes which had begun in 1913. The Church had become the Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes when a triduum was held to inaugurate the Lourdes Chapel with a novena and procession. Bishop Canilla brought three statues of Our Lady back from Lourdes where he had gone with his ill brother and who
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became apparent that a church is only a building, however impressive, and it’s the dedicated people who give generously and freely, either by private donations from individuals or business, as in the case of M. H. Blands who sponsored so much of the renovation over a 10 year period, or the faithful work of unnamed people who work hands on with their time, that make it a living parish. Even the Bruce’s Farm Rehabilitation Centre has helped with the outside pathways in a commendable manner. The beautification was hard work but “worthwhile”, and I feel that James sums it up and it stands as testament to all the caring, hardworking people who contribute to its upkeep. For starters, why not check out the website; Gibtours.com for a virtual tour of the Church, before you visit in person.
The Christian Family Movement held its annual Anniversary Celebrations at the Cathedral last month for couples who had reached their 25th, 40th, 50th and 60th Wedding Anniversaries in 2009.
His Lordship Bishop Charles Caruana addresses a packed Cathedral
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Fundraising for Local Charities
Lyana Armstrong-Emery
Las Vegas Night! Fun games of chance in a family atmosphere and at the end of the evening the charities took the jackpot!
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he Rotary Club of Gibraltar recently held another fund raising event at the Catholic Community Centre. This time the theme was ‘Las Vegas Night’ and over 75 people attended. Gordon Vickers was the Master of Ceremonies and he delighted everyone with his opening song in true Las Vegas form. This was followed by a variety of games such as ‘Play your Cards Right’ (based on the 1980’s Bruce Forsythe TV show) and a paper roulette, dice and card game. There were numerous super prizes donated by local businesses. These included dinner for two
at the ‘Waterfront’ Restaurant, ‘14 on the Quay’ Restaurant, Pussers Restaurant, Ipanema Restaurant and Pizza Express, a year’s membership at the Caleta Hotel Health Club, an ice skating lesson for two and vouchers for Ten Pin Bowling from the Leisure Centre, Gift voucher from Marquez Electrical Shop, a voucher from Esprit Dress Shop Ocean Village, a cut and blow dry from Classic Cuts as well as lots of smaller prizes for those participating but not winning. Another of the organisers, George Williams also took part in the show as ‘Rolf Paris’ (a parody of Rolf Harris) and was assisted by his wife Joanne. This
One guest said “I can’t remember when I last laughed so much, it was like the sort of family entertainment we used put on in our homes.” was followed by other excellent acts which included “Sonny & Cher”, “Michael Jackson”, guitar player Ezequiel de la Rosa and audience participation in many forms! One of the highlights of the evening was a special appearance by Mr Pepe Fabre, the well-known local character who that very week celebrated his 94th birthday! At the end of the evening, Don Attwood, Chairman of the Fund Raising Committee, thanked Mr. Vickers and Mr. & Mrs. Williams for all their help and efforts
Left to right: Mr. Gordon Vickers, Mrs Joanne Williams, Mr. Pepe Fabre, Mr. George Williams
and of course everyone else who attended. Altogether the evening raised nearly £1,300 which is being donated to the Gibraltar Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Group and St Martin’s Special School & Development Centre. See the new Rotary website:www rotaryclubofgibraltar.org
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Pondering a Big Question
Anne Mesilio
Have we lost the plot? Easter has come round again, full of solemnity and joy.
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e have celebrated the passion and death of Jesus and by the 4th of April we will have rejoiced in the resurrection, that triumph of life over death which Easter day brings us. This time of year also brings us Spring, season of re-birth and hope. Globally, we have endured long wet weeks of winter so I hope Spring comes like a new born gambolling lamb, frisky and lively, delighting in the new world all around. Rather than New Year when we make fatuous resolutions, I find this time of year more appropriate to making ones that can make meaningful changes in our lives. Matthew 16; 26 has a good question for us
at this time; “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul”? Watching a Sunday morning programme on BBC1 called The Big Questions, (27th January 2010) one was “Are we too greedy to live without debt”? As the programme progressed it became apparent that the studio audience expressed the views that T.V. adverts are making it very easy to borrow money. This set me to thinking and soon I had a few vexing questions of my own, and I asked the Reverend David Hoare to explore them with me. Generous with his time David did just that. “The reason that many are in debt is that we are led to believe that we need things that
we actually do not need”, he was answering the big question, and went on, “people have been lulled into a false sense of security that it’s easy to pay back, banks made access to plastic so easy and now people find themselves in a hole they cannot get out of. Bankers have tended to preach a gospel of their own in the words continued page 14
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Creativity in the Community
The work
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hen you want to look for something a little different that will surprise and delight for many years to come, then you might be interested in finding out more about REPLICA.
They are exact replicas of your baby’s hands and feet. Every dimple, wrinkle and crinkle is shown then mounted onto a beautiful stand or frame. The idea is so you can preserve the exact image of your loved ones down to the smallest detail. It is done in a 3 Dimensional sculpture as you can see in the photos. When talking to the woman who has started this business locally one can see she is enthused about choosing this for her new venture. Lili Olivero, who also happens to be the Gibraltar National Choir Director in her spare time, has now got her hands, instead of in the air, in plaster! Tell us about your business? “‘Replica’ is the name I have chosen for it because I make life casts of people to keep as a precious memory of themselves or loved ones. The most common one being babies/children hands and feet, although we also do quite a few of adults too. It is a great love keepsake. The casts are actually made from plaster and the result is an exact copy of the person, even showing skin features. They are currently hand finished in Gold/Silver/Bronze paint, but gold and silver leaf finish is also in the pipeline. These are mounted on wooden plinths or box frames.” How did the idea originate? “I first thought about doing this 10 years ago when I had my first baby and wanted to keep a memory of her lovely tiny hands and feet but there was nobody doing this in Gibraltar. I had seen the idea in UK where you can also get this done in solid silver and other
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metals.(but each piece works out to be many hundreds of pounds) I have been researching the idea and have now found a way to do this with great results at a fraction of the cost. As my children are now in full time school I have finally managed to put my idea into motion and can do this around my children’s hectic time table! As well as the running of The Gibraltar National Choir and my teaching commitments!” It is amazing how they say that women can do so many things at the same time, juggling is probably a profession that should have been taken mostly by women, if this is the case. Needless to say Lili does juggle quite a bit, to fit everything into her busy schedule. “I work from home at the moment, and I also visit peoples homes to take the moulds and I love the satisfaction I give them and how amazed people are when they see their own or their loved ones exact features immortalised forever.” What does it entail to get the process going? “I take a mould first and this involves dipping the person’s hand/ foot into a moulding material that is totally safe for the skin. This process only takes a few minutes. Then I fill the moulds with plaster and wait a few days to hand fin-
of human hands
ish the piece and coat the statue in paint or leave it white, depending on what the client wants. We can do them in a variety of colours. The sculpture is then mounted onto a wooden plinth or presented in a box frame. The whole process takes a week from start to finish.” What type of things do people ask for? “For Communions/confirmations they like hands in prayer to keep as a memory of this special day and some even keep the Rosary on the hand, again this is mounted
onto a wooden plinth. I have done this with my own son Zac, as he is doing his First Communion and I will now always remember his hands as an 8 year old doing his Communion. You can see it in the photo. (top right) There are also other type of requests, for weddings or engagements I can do couples holding hands/ clasped hands showing off their rings. This is also mounted onto a wooden plinth with the desired finish chosen by the client.” “My pieces are hand finished in
beautiful gold/silver and bronze paint that really highlight the person’s skin features. Maybe in future, and taking into account the cost, of course, I will have the facility to dip the sculptures or fill moulds with solid silver, bronze and so on.” Can you give our readers an idea of the cost for this remembrance gift? “Pieces start at £45 for one baby foot or hand and it goes up to £55 for a pair of baby feet or hands, and the same for Communion/ Confirmation hands in Prayer but for Engagement or Marriages, the hands cost slightly more at £99. The hands can be of Mother or Father and Child clasping their hands together, or Grandparent and Child and so on and it all depends on the size for me to give a specific quote. As a surprise gift we sell vouchers so people wanting to surprise their loved ones with a UNIQUE gift can do so.” “There are endless combinations of life casts that can be taken, even a whole ‘ Family ‘ hand or
foot cast. The cost here depends on how big the feet and hands are!” Lili also does corporate casts of Company Directors, Mayors, Bishops or Beauty Queens like our very own Miss World. “An ideal gift for a famous person, like the Chief Minister, the Bishop or the Governor! A great and original gift from the staff, a cast of his hands, for him to use as a paperweight and keep in the office/home forever!” All you have to do to contact Lili and order one by going onto the website www.replicagift.com where you can view her work and then contact her by email at lili@replicagift.com, or phone 54831000 for further information and quotes on specific orders or to arrange a ‘moulding’ session.
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Pondering a Big Question
Have we lost the plot?
Continued from page 11 of
the song, “anything you want, you got it”, it has created a ‘live now pay later’ culture which has gone awry”. I agreed with that but feel there is no problem living with debt responsibly, e.g. taking out a mortgage. It is understood and accepted that this will require a serious
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commitment to repay over x number of years. However, evolution is progressive and technology is part of this, but has it helped or hindered? “We need these advances in order to keep pace but there is no doubt it has made everything so immediate that people want everything now, ‘see it, want it, bought it’ is a culture that has grown up around us. Technology drives the economy but these instant decisions can hinder personal morality, there is no more talking things over, which can lead to rash and irresponsible decisions being taken”. The next question followed easily: Does the media feed this? “The media is another part of private enterprise and we can’t stifle it but we must learn to be discerning about whether we need to buy the goods being advertised, we need to learn about the kinds of choices to make, do we believe everything we see and hear as some kind of new gospel?” Good question. Still on the subject of the
media he went on, “Television especially seems to be about image, take politicians, image is important to them but they owe us a debt of trust, that’s the currency we give them to use on our behalf, certainly not misuse it as the headlines blazoned recently”. “The Lord abhors dishonest scales”, (Proverbs, 11.1) this led me to ask, with the tenth commandment in mind, “thou shalt not covet”, if greed is ever good? Before David could answer I mused aloud that surely it’s not wrong to want something, but having an unhealthy desire for something that belongs to someone else must be, because that can lead to a moral breakdown of personal codes. Dangerous territory. “Greed is good in terms of greed for knowledge”, David was answering, “let the bible guide us, let there be a greed for grace, righteousness, getting to know the person of Christ better, greed for the wisdom King Solomon asked for. Greed is a consequence of seeing what others
may have gained, by fair means or foul, it used to be called keeping up with the Jones’s but today it’s consumerism gone mad”. It seemed logical to ask if envy drives greed. “Remember Imelda Marcos and her hundreds of pairs of shoes, well that’s an addiction, an obsession which needs to be treated, this is an example of excessive desire and craving going hand in hand”. That covered it for me. We talked about the moral consequences of greed, “It erodes morality, and if you want something badly enough you may even prostitute your reputation in order to achieve it”. Leviticus 19.13 came to mind, “You shall not oppress your neighnbour, nor rob him”. “We must be able
to trust our politicians, priests’, community leaders, when there is lack of moral standards in those we trust this can lead to personal crisis?” What about the environmental crisis. “We need to look after God’s creation; He made us stewards of this wonderful planet and rainforests are being destroyed, rivers and seas polluted, it just goes on, and what for? Yes, for greed mostly, we greedy westerners suddenly cannot live without palm oil for instance”. There is nothing wrong in owning things we need, it’s only when we obsessively collect
Anne Mesilio possessions beyond our need that we may neglect our duty to others and our God. David finished with a lovely quote which I have had to shorten. “Wealth, Jesus suggested, should never be a means to an end, never an end in itself. Furthermore, the end should not be guided by selfishness, but by a desire to help others. Spiritual lasting wealth has nothing to do with money and belongings which can come and go with the flick of a flame or the crash of a wave”. My own big question; Have we lost the plot?
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