Holy shrewdness

LET'S hope that we can do something about a reproach
Christ once gave to his disciples after he talked about the parable of
the dishonest steward. (cfr Lk 16,1-13) “The children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with the their own generation than are the
children of light.” (Lk 16,8)

            Those of us who like to be considered as children of light
should know how to deal with the things of the world that we know are
not all that good and decent. There are, of course, many good things
in the world, but it cannot be denied that there also are many bad
elements there.

            That's why Christ told us that we have to be “shrewd as
serpents and innocent as doves.” (Mt 10,16) We cannot afford to be
living in ivory towers, detached and unaffected by the goings-on in
the world.

          I remember Pope Francis once saying that priests as
shepherds should smell like the sheep. Otherwise, they cannot be
considered as good shepherds. We have to know how to be worldly wise,
street smart, versatile and adaptive to any person and situation,
without compromising our Christian identity.

            We need to have a good and realistic attitude toward the
world. We have to love it the way Christ loved it. After all, of it he
said: “For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son;
that whosoever believes in him, may not perish, but may have life
everlasting.” (Jn 3,16)

            But we also have to be careful with it because of its bad
elements which are the effects of our sins. Christ's warning was in
these words: “What shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world,
and suffers the loss of his soul?” (Mk 8,36)

            We have to learn how to be shrewd, always discerning
things properly and not afraid to get wet and dirty, if need be, as
long as the integrity of one's Christian life is not compromised.

            In fact, in one instance, Christ went to the extent of
telling us to pluck an eye or cut an arm if they become occasions of
sin. But, obviously, we have to do this with due prudence.

            Holy shrewdness is an urgent necessity these days
precisely because our environment is fast becoming inhabited by human
wolves and hissing snakes full of tricks and deceit and ready to
strike and to turn our country into a Godless one.

            And they can do that even by shamelessly using the name of
God and morality. Sometimes they can occupy high position not so much
in civil society as in the Church itself.

            Relevant to this, St. Paul already issued the appropriate
warning still effective now: “For such false apostles are deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no
wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”
(2 Cor 11-13-14)

      In this regard, it is good that we master the moral doctrine
about cooperation in evil. Evil, as we said, is growing around us and
has struck deep roots. We have to learn how to deal with it.
Obviously, we cannot help but get dirty ourselves, and yet there is
also a way to clean up and make up. We just always need to return to
God, as often as necessary.

      Cooperating in evil happens when one participates, one way or
another, in an immoral action of another person. This can either be
formal, that is, when the co-operator approves of it also, or
material, that is, when the co-operator simply tolerates the act
because he somehow cannot escape from it.

      Formal cooperation is always sinful and should be avoided.
Material cooperation may be lawful and thus can be tolerated, but
under certain conditions and precautions. Among these conditions are:

      (1.)The cooperating act must be, in itself, good or indifferent
morally. (2.) The intention of the one cooperating should be good.
(3.) There must be a just cause. (4.) And the good effect desired in
that cooperation should not be the consequence of the bad effect.

      Besides, one should avoid causing scandal and creating occasions
of sin for the others. And he should be morally strong not to be
affected by the evil he is somehow forced to cooperate materially.

      For this, we have to intensify our life of prayers, recourse to
the sacraments, doctrinal formation and development of virtues. We
have to try to remain in the world, with all its good and bad
elements, and do whatever we can to purify and transmform the evil
structures, even if we suffer a lot.