Monsignor Silvio Jose Baez, auxiliary bishop of Managua, invited Christians to act with “evangelical cunning” to face problems and seek solutions because “tyrants and corrupt could not be more cunning and intelligent.”
“Pasivity, discouragement and believing that nothing can be done is useless. Lamenting and complaining, feeling powerless victims, locks us in fear and blocks the ability to find solutions,” said the religious leader during his Sunday homily this September 18 from the Saint Agatha Church, in Miami, United States.
The Catholic hierarch, who is in exile, reflected on the parable of Jesus that speaks of a rich man who had a dishonest administrator who, when discovered, cleverly decides to find a solution. Although the solution is not ethically acceptable, the employer praised him for his promptness in finding a favorable solution.
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In this way, the Gospel deliberates between those who “occupy the business of this world” and those who “belong to the world of light.”
The bishop pointed out that “those who act with a worldly spirit, immoral, what does Jesus say?, “those who deal with the business of this world” are the people who enrich themselves by committing acts of corruption, who impose wicked policies based on lies and injustice and those who despotically rule over peoples with repression and violence».
“These immoral and evil people are cunning, they live conspiring day and night, they do nothing but plan their evil, and many times they are ahead of us by planning their criminal plans in time and in detail,” said the religious leader.
Monsignor Báez explained that Jesus wants us Christians “not to be left behind”, not in imitating criminal acts, but in “being more cunning”.
Act with «evangelical cunning». No splits and attacks
“Jesus wants us to be peaceful and tolerant, but not naive or passive; he wants us enterprising and brave, but never violent or intolerant », he clarified.
Consequently, he urged to “weave networks of reflection and solidarity” to face the serious problems that afflict the peoples. “Those who share the great ideals of freedom, justice and the defense of human rights must also develop the evangelical cunning of listening, welcoming and reciprocal respect. It is absurd to divide and attack.”
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«Making proposals, reflecting and discussing them, but always relying on the strength of God as Lord of history. The tyrants and corrupt could not be more cunning and intelligent. Repression and injustice are not stronger than truth and solidarity. Let us not be afraid and let us not lose hope”, reiterated Monsignor Báez, critic of the Daniel Ortega dictatorship.
Let’s learn to “win friends” with our riches
In addition, assets and abilities must be used not only for individual benefit, but also to create and promote authentic human relationships, the bishop declared.
He ended his homily by calling on those who “have made them suffer and cry” to “rethink and dedicate themselves to making others happy (…) All these attitudes are an expression of evangelical astuteness, which not only give meaning to our present life but also they claim to enter “the eternal dwellings”».
