The silence of God alleged by Joseph Ratzinger

The "silence of God" alleged by Joseph Ratzinger

Why such silence is only apparent to certain souls

INTRODUCTION

In a brief note Mr. RB shared with us his initial impressions about a book published in the year 2007 by Joseph Ratzinger - "Jesús de Nazaret". It became obvious to us that said book amply confirmed all that we have published about Ratzinger and his function in the End of These Times. Therefore, we asked Mr. RB to prepare a document evaluating the book for the benefit of the Faithful. Following, the reader may read the fruit of that request.

Comments on Joseph Ratzinger's book "Jesús de Nazaret" (1)

A guest document

PURPOSE

"Jesús de Nazaret", a book authored by Joseph Ratzinger – Benedict XVI – was positioned as a best-seller upon its release in the year 2007. Coming from someone who claimed to be legitimately occupying the Chair of Peter (2), this new way of communication is indeed novel. A book prepared for mass consumption in which the author boasts of his personal title, "Pope Benedict XVI", prominent on the cover, in order to reach world wide diffusion for the book and, at the same time, he detaches from his "Pope" title when he announces in the prologue that "it is not a magisterial act" and that "anyone is free to contradict me". (3)

In said book, we found words that cause scandal, considering that the words comes from the one who claims to be the Vicar of Christ on earth. The purpose of this document is to expose that scandal and not to leave the Faithful in the dark before the question which, for Joseph Ratzinger, still is a mystery.

DETAILS

The message delivered by J. Ratzinger in his book which caught our attention is: "...the question that will come with us along all the book" (that is, for him it is not an accessory question, but a central one). Here we quote some extracts where his message is clearly made patent (we quote literally (1); ours are the notes between brackets as well as the highlighting by boldface/underline):

[In a context speaking about Third World marginalization] «Naturally, anyone can ask why God did not create a world in which his presence was more evident; why Christ did not leave a more brilliant trail of his presence, such that anyone would be irresistibly impressed. This is the mystery of God and man that we can not fathom out» [Ch.2, pg.58]

[In speaking about the temptation of building a earthly reign according to satan's deception] «Here arises the great question that will go with us along all this book: really what did He bring, if he did not bring peace to the world, wellness for anybody, a better world? What did He bring?» Mr. Ratzinger gives his own answer: «He brought God», and follows it by words depicting a god such that «Yes, the power of God in this world is a silent power, but it is the true, everlasting power.» [Ch.2, pg.69 and 70]

May we not forget that Mr. Ratzinger gave us a preview of his thinking with the words he uttered on May 28th, 2006, when he visited the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau (4):

"In a place like this, words fail. In the end, there can only be a dread silence, a silence which is a heartfelt cry to God -- Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this?"

"Where was God in those days? Why was he silent? How could he permit this endless slaughter, this triumph of evil?"

Is not the trail of Christ presence "brilliant enough"? How dare he! That God was silent? What a blasphemy! Is the "silence" of God a "mystery"? Of course it is, for those who do not have eyes to See! (5) As Jesus told us:

...To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing may not understand. [Luke 8:10]

At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones. [Matthew11:25]

And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadduccees tempting: and they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 But he answered and said to them: ... A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. ... [Matthew16:1-4]

What is that "sign of Jonas" about? The answer is given also by Jesus:

For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. [Matthew12:40]

That is, to those who ask for more than the sign of the Resurrection, nothing more will be granted, because, in their daring, they do not consider "bright" enough the Presence and Resurrection of the Son of God. And that man, who sits on the self proclaimed highest chair of Earth and who considers himself the wisest among the wisest, that one, who judges that "Christ did not leave a trail brilliant enough of his presence", that one, is truly defining himself (4).

God has raised His Voice repeatedly

The message that J. Ratzinger is delivering, over and over again, is nothing but a reproach to God, a daring to the Most High, the same challenge which satan directed to Christ by saying "If you are the Son of God, command for this stones to become breads." Witnessing the suffering of mankind, in scenarios such as the Second World War and the marginalization of Third World, J. Ratzinger asserts that God kept silent, that is, that He did nothing. (Although he presents it as a question, he makes it an assertion, in saying "this is a mystery" or "God was silent").

The answer to this "mystery" is so easy and so clear that it can be expressed in only a few paragraphs (thus there is no justification J. Ratzinger for not to answer the question immediately). Following we explain it for our readers.

In reality, He is Omnipotent and by "snapping His fingers" He could transform the world (in the way we tempt Him to do), but the concept that escapes Ratzinger is that: (a) God has chosen our collaboration (6); (b) He has chosen to respect our free will as an untouchable part of His Plan of Salvation; and (c) Faced with the disastrous failure of man in his collaboration with the Divine Plan, God has intervened repeatedly, raising His Voice – even to the sending of His Own Son! And yet someone ask Him to speak louder!?

The process is always the same. God granted free will to man since the very moment of his creation – "made in His image and semblance". That free will entails a responsibility: to collaborate with God. Man fails in this responsibility. God, in His Mercy, intervenes to give him another opportunity. When, time after time, man becomes irresponsible and blind, God respects him in his free decision of acting alone. The result is that man, by his own daring, increase his own suffering. God allows this when His creature drifts away from Him, and even so, He does not cease to give opportunities to minimize that suffering:

(a) God offers man the Earthly Paradise. Man rejects this opportunity, wanting to be like God.

(b) God, in His Mercy, sends His Son. Man rejects this opportunity, beating Him and crucifying Him.

(c) God, in His Mercy, establishes His Church on earth. Man rejects this opportunity, subjecting the Church to the temporal power, and using it for his own benefit (7).

(d) God, in His Mercy, sends Mary, the Mother of His Son (8). Man rejects this opportunity, turning it into an opportunity for profit (9).

(e) And so many other opportunities... As when mankind was warned, through Mary in Fatima (10), about the risk of a Second World War and about what was needed to prevent it. Man, again, rejected that opportunity, this time the responsibility falling squarely in the hands of the Administrators of the Church.

His Divine Plan for mankind will be accomplished on Earth, whether we collaborate or not, but at the same time we are who, according to our degree of collaboration, decide the degree of suffering which will carry us the fulfilling of His Plan. He desires the minimal suffering for us, that is, our maximum collaboration. So, in asking "Your Will be done on Earth" we are asking Him for assistance in our mission and we are opening to His participation in those things in which He has chosen to depend on our consent.

Suffering under the hands of our fellow men? (11) Suffering under natural disasters? (12) All makes sense and responds to the Plan of God, in which God does not cause suffering, but only allows it for man's benefit. It is like men building a giant screen on the sky to block the light of Sun (13), giver of life. At the end, the absence of light lead to nowhere but suffering. And to blame God for not to build mirrors in order to bring us light dodging our big screen is nothing but a daring.

NOTES

(1) "Jesús de Nazaret" by Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI, published by "La esfera de los libros". First edition - september 2007. ISBN 978-84-9734-636-8. Without having at hand the English translation of the book, I have translated the quotes but, for identification purposes, kept the numbering of Chapters and Pages referring to the Spanish translation of the book.

(2) The True Petrine Ministry

(3) On the cover it says in big red letters "Benedict XVI", and in black and smaller letters "Joseph Ratzinger"; according to that the author would be Benedict XVI" exerting all of his power, but from the contents of the prologue it is implied that the author is "Joseph Ratzinger". Dressed like a Pope but deploys his own personal ideas and interests, that is, "seems to be" but "it is not"

(4) Who would dare, from a "holy" podium, to raise his voice with words of reproach to the True and Living God? Part I and Part 2)

(5) Who have eyes to see and ears to hear?

(6) Mankind's participation in its own redemption - Suffering only has two purposes; and both are constructive

(7) See, for example, Constantine Donation and The Papacy in historical perspective. and What went wrong in Roman Catholic Church? Part I - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

(8) We have been warned by the Virgin Mary, are we going to listen this time?

(9) The response of the Church Administration to Mary's Calling

(10) The Calling of Mary from Fatima, and The response of the World to Her Calling, and How Her Calling is being discredited, and How it is even forged.

(11) Catastrophes caused by our fellow men?

(12) Apparently illogical and totally senseless disasters?

(13) The Sin of Denial and its grave consequences

En Español: El silencio de Dios que proclama Joseph Ratzinger

Document dedicated to the Virgin Mary on September 8th, 2007, day in which is celebrated Her Birthday.
Translation to English completed on February 2nd, 2008, day in which is celebrated Her Purification.
Published English version on Ash Wednesday 2008

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