What kind of European culture?
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
Europe did not include the idea of God in its constitution. This is some kind of paradox that Christian Europe does not want to place the name of God and reference to Christian values in the preamble to its fundamental bill. The Gospel, the teaching of Jesus Christ, has been known in Europe for two thousand years. Europe paid a big price for that - the first centuries of Christianity witnessed great persecutions of Christians, but since 313 A.D., the Edict of Milan, Christianity has developed without many obstacles, influencing the culture and social life in Europe. W can see all these things on the walls of the magnificent European cathedrals, shrines, monasteries and cloisters. The Christian heritage of Europe includes hermitages, where great Christians, God's troubadours, spent their lives. Europe has been saturated by Christian thinking, written in books that are found in European libraries, books full of wisdom flowing from God's inspiration. Europe is great theology and Christian philosophy, focused in universities, especially the Mediaeval ones, which began its Christian development. And finally, it means numerous events, which have Christian thought in their genetic code. When we visit particular European countries we must see these cathedrals, libraries, monuments and admire the treasures of their sacred contents. The evangelical thought, which developed on the Hellenistic and old Roman cultures, created a new humanistic picture of European culture. One can say that this culture is included in the words of 'Our Father', which show the relationship between man and God: man submitted to God, man who acknowledges that God is the Lord of the universe and Father of all creation. A believer has a proper relationship with his brother - he can forgive and place him at his side. The Lord's Prayer, which Jesus Christ himself thought us, created a new circle of civilisation so that we can say that European culture is lined with the Holy Scriptures and Christ's commandment to love God and your neighbour, which has been preached by the Church for two thousand years. The fact that the Christian history of Europe is not appreciated today shows our poor knowledge of the Bible, especially of the New Testament. Pursuing means that make our lives easy we focus too much on what is given to us by the opponents of Christianity, things that give another illusory good due to man. Therefore, the Synod of Bishops in 2008, announced by Benedict XVI, will be dedicated to the Bible, which will the subject of reflection of the Synodal Fathers. The books of the Holy Scripture constitute the basis of Christianity and one cannot speak about the Christian doctrine without this work of God. And we must see to it that the Bible is vivid in our way of perceiving reality. Therefore, 'Niedziela' took the initiative aiming at promoting the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and since May we have published one book of the New Testament monthly. In August we invite you to read and study the Epistles of the Apostles (part 1). They are wonderful works, which explain and justify God's thought. We can see God's revelation that Christ inspired St Paul with. Since the New Testament is not only the four Gospels but also the Epistles of Paul. One should focus on this part of the Holy Scriptures. All books of the New Testament require meditation and reflection; they introduce us to particular problems and remind us of the most important things. Let us be astute readers of these books; let us follow the Bible in our daily lives and not only on feast days. Let us build a truly Christian culture in ourselves. The Bible is full of wisdom, which Christ transmitted to the Apostles, and then to St Paul personally. Benedict XVI announced the Year of St Paul. This Saint did a lot for the Christian doctrine. So I invite you to read the Epistles of the Apostles!
"Niedziela" 32/2007