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Moment of Reflection
"Letter to Diognetus"
Christianity emerged as one of the greatest innovations created in humanity.
Revolutionized the known values, particularly that of the Fraternity
Solidarity and the relationship between human beings.
It is considered the "jewel of early Christian literature."
A Letter to Diognetus was written about the year 120 AD
This is the written testimony by an anonymous Christian
responding to the question of Diognetus, pagan worship, wishing to know more
the new religion spread so rapidly through the provinces of the Roman Empire.
Impressed by how the Christians despised the pagan gods
and witnessed the love they had for each other, wanted to know:
God was that they relied on and what kind of worship paid him;
where was this new breed and why the story appeared so late.
This Charter is one of the oldest documents that tells the life of the early Christians;
is an unknown author, who wrote the Diognetus.
Here are just a short distance.
It is a wonderful description of the "Christian Man" who change the world!
Letter to Diognetus
Exordium
1. Diognetus Excellency, I see that you care to learn their religion
and, very wisely and carefully, inform you about them ...
What is the God in whom to trust and worship Him, so that they all turn away the world,
despise death, and the gods do not consider that the Greeks recognized,
not observe the belief of the Jews, what kind of love is this that they have to each other;
and finally, because this new strain or type of life appeared now and not before.
I approve this your desire ...
The Epistle to Diognetus
Christians:
1. Not distinguished from other men:
- Not for the fatherland,
- Neither the language,
- Not a special way of life. Indeed, they:
- They have their own cities,
- Do not use a particular language,
- And his life is anything but eccentric.
2. Its doctrine, not from the fanciful imagination of exalted spirits,
not rely, like others, on any theory simply human.
3. They live in Greek or barbarian cities, according to the circumstances of each and:
-Follow the customs of the land,
-Either in dress,
Either in the food-taking,
-Or in other uses, but their way of life is always wonderful
and passes for all to see by a prodigy.
4. Each has been in her homeland, but all live as pass-through;
participate at all like other citizens, but all as if they had support homeland.
Every foreign land is their homeland and every homeland is foreign to them.
5. They marry like everyone else and raise their children, but not disposed of newly generated.
Share the same table, but not in the same bed.
6. They are meat, but do not live after the flesh.
7. Dwell on the earth, but their city is heaven
8. They obey the established laws, but for their way of life outweigh the laws.
9. They love everyone and everyone goes after them.
10. Condemn us not to know;
11. Lead us to death, but the number of Christians is growing continuously.
12. They are poor and enrich each other;
13. All they lack and they all left.
14. They are despised, but in the contempt find their glory;
15. They are maligned, but it transpires the testimony of their justice.
16. Curse them and bless them.
17. Suffer affronts and pay with honors.
18. Do good and are punished as evildoers;
and, when running, as if glad to give them life.
19. The Jews fight us as foreigners, and move them pagan persecution;
but none of that can say they hate the cause of their hatred.
20. In a word, Christians are in the world what the soul is the body.
21. The soul is in all members of the body;
- Christians are in every city in the world.
22. The soul dwells in the body, but not from the body;
- Christians living in the world but not of the world.
23. The invisible soul is guarded in a visible body;
- Christians are visibly in the world, but their piety is invisible.
24. The meat, without being provoked, hates fighting and soul,
just because it impedes the enjoyment of pleasures;
25. the world, without for that reason,
hate Christians precisely because they oppose its pleasures.
26. The soul loves the body and its members, but the body hates the soul;
and Christians love those who hate.
27. The soul is enclosed in the body, but contains the body;
28. Christians are being held in the world as a prison
but they are the ones that contain the world
29. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle;
-Christians live as pilgrims addresses corruptible,
waiting for the incorruptibility of the heavens.
30. The soul is perfected with mortification in eating and drinking;
- Christians, constantly mortified, multiply more and more.
So noble is the position that God pointed out that they are unable to desert!
Brothers and Sisters, if everyone lived like these Christians,
is not true that the world would become? Let us try to imitate them!
The blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
descend upon you and remain forever. - Amen.