The Glowing Heart of Religion: Cardinal Schönborn on Corpus Christi

Editor: Actually, Josephism is a heresy, not a "tradition" as Cardinal Schönborn puts it. He knows better, but then, he's always up to something.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn at his Corpus Christi Sermon: From the "Disposition of the prayer lost to self" follows from a "inner Joy, the Joy of God himself, Who helps to bear all hardships."

Vienna (kath.net/PEW) Cardinal Christoph Schönborn recalled in his sermon at the Josef Square in the center district of Vienna the tradition [sic] of Josephism going back to the Emperor Joseph II. The "temptation of Josephism", said the Cardinal, is still with us today, namely, "to measure religion according to its social and communal usefulness". "And then we all play industriously along, in which we put all the importance of the Church for its usefulness to the State and Society."

For that reason this produced a "complete balance of success" -- the Cardinal identified, among other things, Catholic Schools, the distribution of Charity, the ecclesiastical cultural goods and the lobbying for development -- for which "we also show our thankfulness as a sign of esteem and the recognition of the side of the State, as approximately the most recently conclusive natural sign of the marketability of the Church's contribution" [which "isn't a privilege for the Church, rather the recognition of its contribution to the good of the whole"].

"Aimless, but supremely meaningful"

it is therefore a "great other: religion, faith, church as a society of faith, may not be understood according to its use. The burning heart of Religion is the purposeless mystery, and if it does not live any more from this secret, then its burning center is extinguished." The Eucharistic Adoration, therefore in the Monstrance which carries the Host, which according to the Catholic understanding is Christ himself actually present, says Cardinal Schönborn, "purposeless, but supremely meaningful". "The Mystery is adored that is present in this small piece of bread.... must have no balance of usefulness." "Finding God according to God's will! Jesus Christ is honored and adored in the form of his Eucharistic presence: That is the meaning of today's event", the "living kernel" of the Corpus Christi tradition.

"Freed from a self-justifying ritual"

Finally Cardinal Schönborn focused in his sermon at the Josefplatz, "not intended but all the more important side-effects" which "comport the purposelessness of giving adoration": First, "that we are released from this sometimes painful ritual of self-justification". Here the Cardinal recalled that many efforts of the Church for Society are actually numerous, and are gratefully recognized, "but we may not inform ourselves, that we, for that reason, are the only and the best." Even the secular society has "fantastic schools, good hospitals, fantastic social services -- without religious motivation."

"Free for Service to Neighbor"

Second, following on the "Demeanor of the selfless adoration" an "inner joy, which is the joy in God Himself, who helps bear all hardships. Finally to be free of the self-forgetful adoration of the mystery, free from one's self, free for God, free for the devoted service to neighbor." "Our duty" on Corpus Christi, "This purposeless procession, these moments of adoration bring the source to approachability, which flows from our society with new power", concluded Cardinal Schönborn his Sermon.

Link to kath.net...