Posted by The WORD in other words by Fr Florencio Lagura SVD — Christ the King Seminary Quezon City
Monday 2nd Week of Lent
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Fr. Alphonse Mildner, SVD loved to speak about the virtues and strengths of his German race, which he described as tall, blond, blue-eyed, and fierce in battle.
However, he was saddened to learn that the philosophy of the German Idealist, Georg W.F. Hegel, spoiled his nation. Being ultra-nationalistic, Hegel praised to the high heavens his people’s religion (Protestantism) as the highest form of Christianity, and the love for freedom shown by the German Prussians. All these boasts misled his people to dream of world domination and caused the death of millions, victims of the Holocaust.
Vastly different were the words of Jesus, for he preached mercy as the perfection of religion, a.k.a. as the bonding of love between God and his people.
Mercy signifies the ability to feel for and the readiness to be in the place of an unlucky or suffering brother/sister, then do something to alleviate, even eliminate the source of suffering. Jesus illustrated this very well in his beautiful story or parable of the Good Samaritan. To the surprise of his hearers, he pointed to a Samaritan, a member of his people’s despised enemy, as the true neighbor.
Fr. Mildner endeared himself to the people he served in Tagbilaran, Baguio, Quezon City, and Tagaytay with his “mild” manners and ready smile. When speaking about his German race of “tall, blond, blue-eyed and warlike people,” he would playfully wink an eye, knowing fully well that he definitely did not fit the mold.
.jpg){kind=link}
One comment