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¿Han estado en la ciudad de Nueva York? Aunque la hayan visitado o no, estoy seguro de que al mencionar algunos lugares famosos y reconocidos a nivel internacional, todos pueden verlos en sus mentes, como el edificio Chrysler, el Empire State, Times Square, Ellis Island, la Estatua de la Libertad, Rockefeller Center y la catedral de St. Patrick (San Patricio), para nombrar sólo unos pocos.


Justo he completado el programa de Educación Clínica Pastoral (CPE) aquí, y he tenido el privilegio y la bendición de haber trabajado y vivido en la ciudad de Nueva York durante los pasados dos meses y medio. Durante este tiempo, estuve en el medio de los rascacielos y de los monumentos históricos, entre personas de todas las naciones y credos. Tuve la oportunidad de trabajar en el apostolado a quienes sirvieron de una manera u otra en las Fuerzas Armadas de los Estados Unidos (trabajaba en el hospital de la Administración de Veteranos) y he hablado con muchas personas y aprendido muchas cosas. El viaje desde y hacia los lugares de trabajo era compartido con cientos de miles de personas que toman el tren subterráneo cada día. En resumen, Nueva York es una ciudad metropolitana con su consecuente bullicio y ajetreo.


Sin embargo, no fue hasta la última semana, tras un largo día de trabajo, que me detuve a contemplar lo que me rodeaba y me maravillé ante el ingenio del ser humano. Todo lo que estaba y sucedía a mi alrededor—los rascacielos de 60 pisos, las carteleras con millones de luces, los cientos de miles de personas caminaban o conducían hacia sus destinos—era producto del ser humano. Al pausar y mirar alrededor, sólo pude pensar que todo este ingenio procedía de Algo mayor, de Alguien más grande, a saber, Dios. Nada de esto hubiese sido posible si no fuera por el regalo que nos hizo Dios de la vida y la inteligencia. Sin embargo, ¿con qué frecuencia vamos por la vida sin detenernos y reconocer el Origen de dichos dones?


A menudo centramos nuestra atención en las cosas temporeras, como los edificios, los monumentos famosos, la belleza de la creación, nuestra afiliación política, nuestro trabajo, la escuela, la familia, el credo, hasta nuestra preferencia en las celebraciones litúrgicas, y perdemos de vista lo que en verdad es importante. Perdemos de vista el hecho de que Dios nos regaló las herramientas y la inteligencia necesaria para desarrollar lo que llamamos “ingenio humano”, y no nos detenemos para contemplar y dar gracias a Aquel que nos lo dio.


Está de más decir que el ingenio del ser humano es parte del plan de Dios, pues Él nos hizo para Sí mismo, para aquella plenitud que sólo Él puede darnos. Podemos muy bien desarrollar nuestro propio ingenio y construir rascacielos más grandes, añadir más luces a Times Square, ampliar el sistema de trenes subterráneos, vivir en la luna, si queremos. Pero todo el producto de nuestro ingenio, todo nuestro intento por construir y crear, se reduce a nuestro propio deseo de llenarnos a nosotros mismos con la Fuente y el Origen de todo: Dios. Todas las cosas temporeras que hacemos, que construimos o promovemos, son sólo polvo si no vemos en las mismas nuestro anhelo por lo Infinito, que es Dios.


Les pregunto, como lo hice la semana pasada en el medio de los rascacielos y los monumentos, ¿se han detenido para reconocer que todo lo que está a su alrededor, y dentro de ustedes, viene de Dios?


Diácono Luis A. Rivero
Seminarista, Diácono Transitorio, Seminario Regional St. Vincent de Paul, Boynton Beach

Comments from readers

Estrella McIntosh Bor� - 08/16/2009 07:30 PM
Thank you very much, Deacon Luis Rivero. Although I can speak and write English well, it is far easier for me to read in spanish. The last sentence touched me especially. Thank you very much again for your comments about "The Ingenuity of the Human Being", in Spanish.

On the other hand, do you know Deacon Ian Taylor Dunsmore? He is my cousin and I would like to know about him. I haven't seen him since he left Chile to live in the U.S.A.

Kind Regards,

Estrella.
Deacon Rivero - 08/13/2009 09:44 PM
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Mr. Barrera,
We are saying the same thing just approaching it from two different angles (ie. via positiva and via negativa). The point being that without God nothing is possible. We have to stop and praise God. Furthermore, direct our energies and many gifts and talents to praise Him! I am not praising the landmarks so please don't get caught up in the examples. I would also defer you to the latest encyclical of our Holy Father "Charity in Truth".
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''-
Cheryl,
Thank you for taking the time to read the blog post. I join you in that prayer.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''-
Martha,
Thank you for your prayers! Yes, Matias has arrived here to begin his theological studies. Please continue to pray for him and support him.
Norma T. Molina - 08/12/2009 10:43 AM
What a beautiful article, Deacon Rivero. Keep up the good work.
Michael Kramer - 08/12/2009 05:16 AM
"Many times we focus our attention on the temporal things - buildings, landmarks, the beauty of creation, our political affiliation or opinion, our work, school, family, creed, even our preference in liturgical celebrations - and we lose sight of what�s truly important. We lose sight of the fact that God has given us the tools and intelligence we require to develop that so-called �human ingenuity� � and we do not stop to contemplate and give thanks to the One who gave them to us."

Perhaps that was quickly written, and I'd like to give Deacon Rivero the benefit of the doubt, but I'd still like to offer my two cents just in case it is worded correctly.

If it is, I fear Mr. Barreda is right to be worried about what these young men are being taught.

Focusing on the beauty of Creation is precisely the opposite of what a materialistic heart would gear the mind towards. Our Lord created the world and everything in it for man to enjoy, appreciate, and marvel at. The world and universe is so complex and so vast as to aid us in understanding how complex and infinite God is. Indeed, one who progresses in his understanding of Creation and its purpose is turned away from atheism and materialism and other things THAT DON'T MATTER.

From the Magisterium from time immemorial comes the constant teaching that many political matters that we take today and say "ahh this is all just opinion and doesn't matter anyway" is totally false. Many of the matters are intimately linked to our faith, and therefore ultimately concern the salvation of our soul. It matters, more than anything any of us could ever imagine. The "your truth" and "my truth" modern concoction flops on it's face just by examining the words themselves. How can there by two contradicting, opposing truths? Political matters often involve things that actually involve the social doctrine of the Church, Our Lord Jesus Christ's right's as King, and other very serious things.

Work, school and family, while all temporal, certainly really matter as the first two are linked to ones vocation in life while the third is linked not just to ones vocation but also to ones responsibilities towards aiding others to Heaven, especially for parents. This is also utterly important.

In our Creed and our preference in liturgical celebrations comes the method in which we honor God, which then becomes the primary point to Deacon Rivero's entire article. That we should stop and give thanks. I couldn't agree more. The way to do that is by proper Creed and proper liturgical celebrations, rooted in Tradition and the hermenutic of continuity that our Holy Father speaks of, rather than the hermeneutic of rupture that so many of us have had to endure (again words of our Holy Father).

Holding the true Creed and faithful observance of liturgical celebrations are intimately linked with our salvation and nothing could be more important than our duty towards Almighty God. As the Church teaches, we must know Him (right Creed) and love (adore) Him (proper worship) and serve Him (by serving our families and neighbors and saving our own soul) in order to be happy with him in Heaven.

What could be more important? Nothing.

I guess to summarize, the way to honor God then is to fulfill our duties and live out some of the very things that are mentioned as temporal. Without doing those basic things, the honor and praise to God is not realized to its potential, and indeed we risk losing our souls.

Perhaps I misunderstood some of what Rev. Mr. Rivero was trying to say, but I think a few of us have come away with a different message.

Maria Jose Mitsoulis - 08/11/2009 12:27 PM
Thank you deacon Rivero for reminding us about the beauty created by God and the beauty made by human beings. God is good. We as human beings have been given special gifts to share. I encourage everyone to share those gifts with each other especially those being called to be catechists.
Peace to you.
Felipe Barreda - 08/11/2009 09:46 AM
After reading Deacon Luis Rivera's blog concerning his visit to New York, I am left wondering what is being taught in seminaries today. While I agree the God is the source mankind's ingenuity, all of the buildings and the sights mentioned in Dreacon Rivera's article save one do not come from God. They come from mankind's pride and arrogance that he can be better than God. The Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building say nothing about God but they scream, "this is what I want! Its all about me!." They are temples of man's greed and his injustice to his fellow man and in the shadow of these monsters are their children living in steam tunnels or worse yet abject poverty. What is from God is what another Deacon over thousand years ago responded when asked for the treasures of the church; he responded by showing them the poor and the down trodden and he was martyred by it. There are parishes being closed in this diocese and there are a shortage of priests in our country. It would better serve the church and mankind if our priests tried not to justify the world and its false materialistic ideologies and start stending up to the truth. In the end the vanity of man and his ingeinuity is nothing but dust and ashes and what is eternal is their soul. Let us concentrate on building this soul instead of vanity inspired works of architecture.
Cheryl Whapham - 08/11/2009 09:39 AM
Thank you for this great reflection. God has given me so much. God has graced us all with the potential to do powerfully wonderful things. My prayer is that we all become less selfish with the power God has given us to do good!
Martha Selaya - 08/10/2009 11:50 PM
How beautiful your message. Yes, indeed, mankind tends to think that their intelligence is theirs. How wrong; God gives us everything, and through the Holy Spirit we receive His graces; the intelligence; the wisdom; the understanding; everything we need. Without Him we are nothing. I thank God for my faith and for knowing that there wilal be Nothing without Him, and nothing without us. We are His instruments here; hopefully apt, able disciples of His teachings. We need to think, speak, feel, live His teachings. God bless you Deacon Rivero. I see you are now residing at Boyton Beach. There is a friend of mine there now. Do you know Matias Hualpa? My best regards and prayers go to all of you so that your vocation grow stronger each day, and please pray nor only for me, but for mankind. We all need your prayers. I am here!
Martha Selaya

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