Salmos: Uma Síntese

Em primeiro lugar, os salmos são as orações de Israel, as orações do povo de Deus, as orações de um povo a quem Deus se revelou mais claramente, que ele educou para fazer sua testemunha entre todos os povos. E assim, conduzido por Deus, Israel colocou por escrito esse livro único, a Bíblia, que é o reflexo de sua visa, dando assim ao mundo esta [i]

obra-prima: os salmos, oração que seu Deus lhe ensinou.

Os salmos são o espelho da alma judaica

No decorrer de sua existência, o povo de Israel transformou em orações e em salmos a vida que ele viveu. Os salmos nasceram na vida do povo judeu e expressam as entonações mais puras da fé monoteísta de Israel, as atitudes mais verdadeiras de sua oração: de súplica, de confiança, de louvor e de esperança. Mas, acima de todo, expressam essa atitude religiosa essencial que devemos esposar diante do Senhor; uma atitude de adoração, de humildade, de temor de Deus e de pobreza, que coloca em Deus só toda a sua confiança.[ii]

Os Salmos são todos iguais?

-       O livro dos Salmos é como uma grande com muitos quartos

-       Cada quarto tem uma chave própria. Para entrar, preciso procurar a chave certa. É situação vivida pela pessoa ou grupo que criou o salmo; expressa grande alegria, ou uma revolta profunda, ou um grito quase desesperado, ou uma paz reconfortante.

-        A experiência concreta do salmista é transmitida através do texto que chegou até nos. A situação de quem rezou o salmo é a chave para podermos abrir a porta de cada tipo de salmo. A situações diversos.

Tipos de Salmos A. Hinos: 1. Hinos de louvor (H) 2. Salmos da Realeza do Senhor (RS) 47; 93; 96; 97; 98; 99 3. Cânticos de Sião (S) (O motivo da Cidade de Jerusalém) 46; 48; 76; 84; 87; 122; 132. B. Salmos Individuais:                         1. Súplica individual (SI): a oração feita na hora do sofrimento ou    desespero de uma pessoa ou de um grupo inteiro.                         2. Ação de graças individual (AGI): onde uma pessoa ou o povo reconhece uma graça concedida por Javé.                         3. Confiança individual (CI): neles alguém ou a comunidade inteira declara que Deus é sua única segurança. Súplica individual: 7; 12; 5; 6; 13; 17; 22; 25; 26; 28; 31; 35; 36; 38; 39; 42; 43; 51; 54; 55; 56; 57; 58; 61; 63; 69; 70; 71; 86; 88; 102; 109; 120; 130; 140; 141; 142; 143. C. Salmos Coletivos:                         1. Súplica coletiva (SC)                         2. Ação de graças coletiva (AGC)                         3. Confiança coletiva (CC) Súplica coletiva: 44; 58; 60; 74; 77; 79; 80; 82; 83; 85; 90; 94; 106; 108; 123; 126; 137. D. Salmos Reais ou Régios (R): tema do rei, autoridade politica, tem função de libertar o povo dos inimigos e promover a justiça e o direito: 2; 18; 20; 21; 45; 72; 89; 101; 110; 132; 144. E. Salmos Didáticos: Reflexões que procuram ensinar a viver de acordo com o projeto de Deus.                         1. Liturgias (L): mostrando celebrações que se faziam na porta do Templo de Jerusalém.                         2. Exortações proféticas (Ex): Lembram o estilo e os temas dos profetas: 14; 50; 52; 53; 75; 81; 95.                         3. Históricos (Hi): narram a história do povo como catequese para a vida: 78; 105; 106.                         4. Sapienciais (Sa): que ensinam a refletir sobre a experiência concreta e aprender o caminho da vida: 1; 19,8-14; 37; 49; 73; 91; 112; 119; 127; 128; 133; 139.

Quem escreveu os salmos?

-       No primeiro versículo de muitos salmos encontramos em geral, diversas informações, como auto (“de Davi”: Sl. 7,1), o tipo de salmo (“lamentação”: 7,1), os instrumento musicais usados para acompanhar o conto (“para instrumentos de oito cordas”: 12, 1), a melodia do salmo (Exemplo, sobre “A corça da manhã”: 22,1), a coleção ou repertório a que pertencia o salmo (“do mestre de canto”: 12,1) e, às vezes, uma indicação sobre a situação em que o salmo nasceu (“ele a cantou para Javé, a propósito de Cuch, o benjaminita”: 7,1 = segundo livro de Samuel, capítulo 18, Versículo 21).

-       Dessas informações mostra que os salmos eram muito usados, contados com melodias populares, acompanhados com determinados instrumentos musicais e faziam parte de coleções de hinos usados naquele tempo (Coleção de Asaf, de Coré).

-       Naquele tempo era costume atribuir a autoria de uma composição a uma pessoa famosa. O rei Davi sempre considerado músico, poeta e homem de oração. Por isso, visto como é patrono dos salmos, como Moisés era o patrono de Lei, Salomão o patrono da sabedoria.

-       Muitos salmos atribuídos a Davi, isso não quer dizer que Davi seja o autor desses salmos. Apenas mostra que muitas pessoas rezaram a partir de sua própria situação e dedicaram suas orações a Davi, o grande inspirador da oração popular (Samuel 6, 14-21,22).[iii]

O livro dos Salmos está longe de ser um livro caduco da Antiga Aliança. Ao contrário, os salmos estão na origem de um grande movimento de oração que tem suas origens na vida do povo eleito; movimento que foi levado à sua perfeição pelo próprio Cristo, em sua vida terrestre, e depois das primeiras comunidades cristãs continua a se perpetuar na Igreja. Os salmos se tornaram a oração da Igreja. Rezá-lo é entrar nesse grande movimento que nos associa a uma multidão incontável de fiéis que rezaram e continuam a rezar os louvores que o próprio Senhor nos ensinou: rezar os salmos é rezar a Deus com as palavras de Deus.[iv]

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[i] Gilles-Dominique Mailhiot; Os Salmos, Rezar com as palavras de Deus, Loyola 2003. Pp. 24.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Salmos, A oração do povo que luta; Eds. Euclides Martins Balancin, Ivo Storniolo, José Bortolini; Paulina, 1988.

[iv] Ibid (i)

Religious Empire: God is emperor

Soldier hacked to death in London

There has been heated debates on religion aftermath of London soldier murder. Religion has become an agenda for the news agencies and radio broadcasters to showcase their ability to argue that religion is amazing enterprise but absolutely redundant in the 21st century. I have no comments on this since it is a topic always crawls on the table. I strongly condemn and disagree with the murderers who hacked the soldier to death in Woolwich in the name of religion. I think everyone would agree that no religion promotes violence against another person despite religions have been using this to defend one's own faith. Word 'defend' itself has so negative connotation and in fact it promotes violence or attack on others who do not belong to the defenders religion. This has happened in every religion. Now could anyone tell me which religion survives because of blood?

Religion is man-made by all means despite its claims of revelations and illuminations. Basically religion was formed to control and maintain the society and religion did it perfectly by myriad ways. Let me not put my fingers into these means, because it is a wide topic indeed. If religion controlled and maintained the society in the yesteryears, police and government does the same kind of job today in our society. Therefore, it is obvious that there is no need of a religion to tell people to live morally; is that so? Do we think that police and government is morally correct? Again its another topic altogether on which I have slightest interest. But it is true that there is religious intolerance since police and government has taken the role of controlling the morality of the people. 

There is also another dimension to the religious intolerance among the people. Every religion is a kind of empire with a king or a queen to propose moral rules. There ruler would be a god in every religion. Thus, god created by every religion became different than others because basically religion took the form of an empire. Does this sound absurd? Now this works same as the empire on earth. St. Augustine proposed two kingdoms; earthly and heavenly. Divine kingdom is something that is just and fair but this can be a fantasy of ideology of a utopia (Thomas More). Let me pen on earthly city where most powerful and efficient emperor won the battles to gain victory over other empires. This was done by any means, particularly by means of extreme violence and suppression of the weak. Hence, violence was inevitable and unavoidable in the process of overpowering other empires. 

I would like to apply the above explanation on earthly empires to the religions. Every religion has been using some kind of violence to augment the numbers of devotees. In the process millions of people gave their precious life. Some religions overpowered others whereas little religions died out in the battlefield. And god became a means to use as emperor. God became mere an object to be used to build one's own empire of religion. This is absurd indeed. God is not an object to be used to defend one's own faith. If one believed in ONE God, then why do we need an emperor god? If everyone believed that is there only ONE God, then why do we have to fight in the name of religion? 

Maria, A True Suffering Woman

Thou art Mother Oh most favored plentifully

Oh perfect woman blessed specially

A poor and suffering thou art mother

Provide insolence to human other

Thou renounced liberty to choose

To say a Yes with utmost muse

Betrothed in obedience, a virgin womb

Thou remained faithful until tomb 

Theotokos, a title most desirable

Bore in thy bosom a Son supreme adorable

God’s mother prevailed in history of Salvation

For thy Son human yet a divine revelation

Oh mother, retained pains in thy heart

Oh, how painful suffering thy life’s girt

Thy being shattered thy soul split in sword

Whilst the Son of Man uttered mysterious word

Thou art our mother opium of the poor

Utmost hope against suffering sure

Penetrate the suffering heart to cast hope

Hence thou lingered to the poor a dope

Oh Maria, at Golgotha thou suffered intensely

Derided yet watched thy Son die gently

Come Maria in haste and wipeout tears

Thence suffering women may have no more fears

Sorrow ensnared thou like winter’s darkness

Lost thy Son twice to feel like weirdness

Thou art a hope for women childless

Cast thy aiding hands on the heartless

Be a rock of refuge for thy humanity

Thence to witness a widespread serenity

Be a help to the suffering and them guard

One accord we shout, my heart magnifies the Lord.

Mother

I Love You...!

"My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl? When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day... the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my darling daughter.

What goes around comes around!

A true story- happened in 1892 at Stanford University: An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea. He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education. They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.

The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1600, plus a cheque for the balance $400. They promised to honour the cheque at the soonest possible. “No,” said Paderewski. “This is not acceptable.” He tore up the cheque, returned the $1600 and told the two boys: “Here’s the $1600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left”. The boys were surprised, and thanked him profusely. It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a great human being.

Paderewski later went on to become the Prime Minister of Poland. He was a great leader, but unfortunately when the World War began, Poland was ravaged. There were more than 1.5 million people starving in his country, and no money to feed them. Paderewski did not know where to turn for help. He reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help. The head there was a man called Herbert Hoover — who later went on to become the US President. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food grains to feed the starving Polish people.

A calamity was averted. Paderewski was relieved. He decided to go across to meet Hoover and personally thank him. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his noble gesture, Hoover quickly interjected and said, “You shouldn’t be thanking me Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college. I was one of them.” The world is a wonderful place. What goes around comes around!

A Brief History of Easter Vigil

Easter Vigil is so central to the liturgical year which is Paschal Vigil about which St. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-389) spoke as the “solemnity of solemnities, far exalted above all others.” Commodian (mid 3º C) in Africa called this day the, ‘dies felicissimus.’ And it was Augustine (354-430) in Africa who gave the service its most famous designation, ‘the mother of all vigils.’

A third-century work called the Teaching of the Apostles gives us an insight into the content of the observance of the vigil. The faithful spent time in prayer, fasting, supplication, reading the prophets and psalms during the Friday and Saturday. The faithful kept vigil through the whole night on Saturday since they believed that new life was given to Christ during the night and that the risen Lord would return to this world during the night.

During the time of Constantine, when Christianity was no longer under persecution, the number of converts increased and, accordingly the structure of the Baptismal rites, which came to be celebrated during the vigil, began to expand.

The four parts of Paschal Vigil propose single theme, “Passover/new life” and this theme runs through out the celebration of Paschal vigil.

1. Service of the light: Here, as we light the Paschal Candle, we believe that Christ is the light and we have a new light of Christ from His resurrection. This follows Exultet, which proclaims the glory of God through out the history of salvation. Here we believe that this is the night we commemorate the goodness and saving help of God in the history.

2. Liturgy of Word: Again the theme of redemption and salvation is evident in all the readings of this celebration. A detailed history of creation, preservation and salvation of man culminating in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

3. Celebration of the Baptism: We celebrate the mysteries of Baptism at this important feast of Pasch. We believe that at Baptism we are freed from sin and are reborn as sons of God; therefore a same theme runs in this part of the ceremony as well; a theme of passing over to new life. Here we commemorate the importance of water in the history of salvation right up to, how the first disciples baptized the faithful with water. Therefore liturgically it stays in a significant place in the vigil. Normally here we renew our Baptismal vows. Blessing of Baptismal water is part of this celebration where priest prays over the water. The prayer consists of the importance of water in the history of Israel right through Baptism of Jesus at Jordan and Baptism of the faithful by the disciples and then our own baptism to be consolidated and lived out.

4. Liturgy of the Eucharist: This part of the celebration is the zenith of whole celebration of the Paschal mysteries. Here we commemorate Christ death, suffering and resurrection in a more concrete way. Jesus resurrected from the dead to a new life to give us a new life and this we celebrate at the Eucharist. There is also the theme of passing over to new life and liturgically we believe that we get new life through Christ. 

A Church of the Non-poor

Don’t be wondering why have not scribbled on my blog after the election of the new Pope Francis. I am constantly bombarded with the things about the new Pope. Facebook wall is filled with photos and the praises of the new Pope and everyday conversation is all about the Pope. Last two weeks have been like a huge storm about the Pope that is sweeping the earth. I am slightly apprehensive that people who try these things are putting cart before the horses. Thus I would like to sit under a fig tree and wait for the Lord to show up and not to make any comments prematurely. But I have one trivial matter that is vibrating in my mind and trying to stir my emotions. Thus I have this little thought on poverty and poor people.  

The Catholic Church is again trying to keep the poor in the status quo assuring that the Church will uplift the poor and try to eradicate the poverty. In the past the Church tried to deal with the sin in the same manner that humanity is doomed because of the Original sin. It is a pessimistic approach to life and human experience. Even today, some of the fundamental freaks try to indoctrinate the people with the idea that man is doomed to sin and only through Christ and His Church one can gain salvation. I know the Church has done with the idea of salvation through the Church. One cannot decide for the other whether God saves him/her or condemns. I am sure our God is a loving God who would not condemn anyone. We have a best example in Jesus who loved the adulterer woman and assured the kingdom of God to a thief at the cross. Thus who is the Church to decide whether one is condemned or condoned. My focus is not on the above issue of sin but it is a just an example of how the Church is trying to keep the people in darkness particularly the poor.

Poverty is not really a poverty for the world has enough resources for everyone. It is the selfish-few try to amass more than what they need. Gandhi expressed: “world has enough for everyone's need not for greed.” If one is bombarded with words, you are poor and we will try to help you to eradicate poverty, I am sure the psyche is affected to such an extent that they will really remain poor. I remember working in the slum in India, folks in the slum are not really poor, they have a job that would sustain them and have good house but for some reasons they want to remain as they are in the slum. This is not because they are poor but rather they have come to like the community life and the security they enjoy in the slum. But we cannot brand them as poor and give them a sympathetic hug which will further their agony. St. Augustine noted in Summa Theologia that if we have more than what we need, it does not belong to us, it belongs to the person who does not have it, therefore it can subject to theft. Now again Pope has assured the poor with the slogan, “Church of the poor”. I wonder how many poor people will be happy to call themselves poor from the bottom of their heart. Everyone wants to be non-poor which is a good thing. A psychologist would agree with me, if one is told recurrently that he is ‘useless’ it would affect his psyche and remain useless perceptually. In the same manner one is told frequently that one is poor, it would really affect them such a way they would never try to be non-poor. 

A group of people wanted to feed the village in the interior of Guyana saying let them eat well at least one day. But the Catholic priest told them, “will you be here to feed them everyday, and how do you know that they don’t eat well.” Yes, this is the attitude some of us have towards the poor without knowing the inner being of the poor. It is worth penetrating into the life of the poor and understand them and avoid making a status quo comments. Can the Church be a ‘Church of the non-poor’ i.e. Church of the poor out of poverty.