At this moment, the totalitarian system prevailing in our society is trying to develop, especially among young people, the culture of oblivion, so that we only live in the present (presentism), without roots and without future.
Its pretension is that the history of the victims, of the impoverished who have made in silence the solidarity in history, of the militants who fought for the implantation of the Kingdom and its Justice, does not count at the time of realizing another world radically different from theirs. It is necessary that the person does not feel part of a historical process, nor a protagonist of it in an associated way.
A culture of self-sufficiency is spreading, of refusal to be educated by others, of any moral reference, of the knowledge of liberating experiences, of the gift of counsel of the Holy Spirit, of any norm or morality other than that of the empire. This is the only one to be obeyed and followed.
From all sectors, a loss of the sense of history is being promoted, which is increasingly dividing and disorienting. Old conflicts that seemed to have been overcome are being revived, aggressive nationalism is re-emerging. An idea of the unity of the people and the nation, penetrated by various ideologies, creates new forms of selfishness and loss of social sense masked under a supposed defense of national interests. This reminds us that "each generation must make the struggles and achievements of past generations its own and take them to even higher goals. This is the way.
Good, as well as love, justice and solidarity, cannot be achieved once and for all; they must be conquered every day. It is not possible to be satisfied with what has already been achieved in the past and to settle in and enjoy it as if this situation led us to ignore the fact that many of our brothers and sisters still suffer situations of injustice that call out to all of us" (FT 11).
These are the new forms of cultural colonization that Pope Francis denounces on so many occasions: "An effective way to liquefy historical conscience, critical thinking, the struggle for justice and the paths of integration is to empty of meaning or manipulate the great words. What do expressions such as democracy, freedom, justice, unity mean today? They have been manipulated and disfigured in order to use them as instruments of domination, as titles empty of content that can be used to justify any action". (FT 14)
Our society needs young people and adults who know the history, the deep and rich spiritual roots of our peoples. Our task of transforming the world cannot, and should not, ignore the results that other human actions have had for the life of the people. Reflected history is a lesson for the present and a light for the future.
Pastor of the parishes of Santa María Reparadora and Santa María de los Ángeles, Santander.
