This morning during our common discussion, Palli made a very profound intervention. Though very many were up in arms against him for that statement, without actually giving it a thought, they actually proved him right - even in their criticism of him!
What he pointed out to us all was that we Catholics often project ourselves out of the world and speak of ourselves as if there is the world outside of me and then there is me (or us).
While elaborating that point he made another distinct point which went unnoticed. It was about our perspective of God or even that of Jesus. We hold onto that perspective, most often what is commonly preached in the church, and refuse to see that perhaps sometimes even God himself may not be happy with that imagery we have of him.
To drive home the point Palli stated that Jesus said, whatever you do to the least of your brethren you do it for me... he never said, do it to your brethren because you love me. This reference to the Scriptural quote was to drive home the point that God does not wait for us to do good out of love for him. The very fact that we do some good to those in need is already done for God - even if we do not have that intention of attributing or sourcing it from God.
While trying to get my head around his passionate appeal, I was reminded of Richard Rorty's book Philosophy and the Mirror of nature. Remembering a philosophical title after long!!!
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