Really Party?!

"The fiestas of the poor are truly celebrations: the poor have a reason to celebrate. Hence their celebrations are joyful, free, and spontaneous, whereas the celebrations of the rich tend to be more of a tedious chore than a spontaneous joy. They appear to be having a good time while inwardly they are worrying about wearing the right outfit, saying the right things, doing the right things, mixing with the right persons, and impressing everyone aroudn withthe multiple masks that everyone puts on to impress the others. In effect, the celebrations of the 'dignitaries' of this world are anything but joyful. How could they be joyful when they are segregated and segregating, and potentially destructive of all who take part in them?

Thus it is out of the celebrations of the poor, which will always be a scandal to the rich who are not capable of truly liberative celebrations, that God's universal and barrier-destroying love will erupt for all to experience and enjoy. Participants will rise above what enslaves them and will experience the full liberation of the children of God. They can truly be themselves because they are 'at home' in the household of the father--no masks to put on, no 'higher-ups' to impress, no jealousies to worry about. In this joy, we have a fortaste of a final result of the plenary fellowship of humanity. Having experienced the end, we will begin working to make it more of a reality in today's world."

- Vigilio Elizondo in "Galilean Journey: The Mexican-American Promise" (page 122).

Comments

Katie Z. said…
I love this quote!

In Advent 4, I'm preaching on the joy of Mary, and how it could only be truly joyful, because she was probably having such a hard time.

If everything was pie in the sky beautiful, she never would have been able to sing those words that we call the Magnificat today.

I might borrow this quote for my sermon! Thanks!
9:44 AM
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