Pope’s Lenten retreat: cardinal calls TV the ‘great Moloch within our homes’

February 21, 2013

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, who is leading the annual Lenten retreat for the Pope and leaders of the Roman Curia, preached on February 20 on Psalms 131 and 39.

Reflecting on the image of the weaned child in Psalm 131, Cardinal Ravasi urged those with positions of responsibility in the Church to avoid the temptation “to look down on others from on high; instead, they like St. Therese should practice a childlike spirituality and also listen to children, “because they bring us back to basics” and “ask us those famous whys.”

Turning to Psalm 39 and describing the culture’s superficial atmosphere as a “narcosis which eliminates the big questions,” Cardinal Ravasi preached:

Just think of the television, which is the true and great Moloch within our homes. We already know all about fashion, about what we should eat, how we should dress, choose, etc., but we no longer have a voice that shows us the path and meaning of this life, especially when it is so fragile, so miserable. That is why it is important to come back again to the great themes. Have the courage to propose great thoughts; I think one of the great problems of today's youth is that they are no longer able to find meaningful answers and so they allow themselves to drift and be swayed by contemporary society

 

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Further information:

• Cardinal Ravasi: The believer "as a baby weaned" (Vatican Radio)
• Wisdom is acquired through suffering (L’Osservatore Romano)
• Pope’s Lenten retreat: cardinal reflects on liturgy, history (CWN, 2/20)