In Light of Jesus’ first word in His public ministry, “metanoia ” (Mt 4:17) “repent, change your mind,” in Light of His “new commandment: love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34) and in Light of Paul’s, “Have this mind among you, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Phil 2: 5-11), what is the task Jesus assigns to popes, bishops, priests, ministers, pastors and parents? Is it to communicate to those Christians who are in their spiritual care that it is impossible to be a faithful follower of the Nonviolent Jesus of the Gospels, to do God’s will as Jesus reveals it and to simultaneously be a member of the Mafia? Or, is their task to tell the Mafia and those in it, Christian and non-Christian, how to morally kill and maim justly, when one Mafia organization “goes to the mattresses”, i.e. war, against another Mafia organization? Does assigned task of popes, bishops, priests ministers, pastors and parentsinclude telling a military how to morally kill and maim justly other sons and daughter of the Father of all and brothers and sisters of Jesus?
Or, have popes, bishops, priests, ministers, pastors and parents been commissioned (Mt 28:19) by Jesus to proclaim and to teach to those placed in their spiritual care that “Jesus’ love is the love of the Executed One for His killers, the One who Himself can never be a killer or an executioner” (Eberhard Arnold).
A Petitionary Prayer for the Grace
To Put on the Mind of Christ
(It works!)
Jesus, you have the words of eternal life.
Replace my thoughts with your thoughts,
I want my thinking to correspond with your teaching;
I want to make decisions according to your standards.
You are the Truth given to me by the Father.
Let your mind be my mind.
Live in my mind, Jesus!
Venerable James Alberione, SSP
