I made you bright so that others can see in the darkness

Reflection by Tiziano Fani Braga, little brother of the reception and coordinator of Mosaiko Cristiani LGBT+ from Rome

"Passing along the sea of ​​Galilee, he saw Simone and Andrea, Simone's brother, while throwing the goals into the sea; They were in fact fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come behind me, I will make you become fishermen of men." And they immediately left the nets and followed him"

This Gospel is one of the most symbolic when dealing with the theme of the call, but at the same time it is the most abused, above all because it is thought that it is only aimed at priests; Instead, it is aimed at everyone, especially to those who have been baptized and who are called to bring Christ into everyday life and not have to split their existence in a dichotomy that consumes you slowly.

More and more, also through other tools beyond the Holy Scriptures, the issues related to faith are addressed; This gap between the Church and the world is shown more and more, above all a church linked to a darkness tradition, but which absolutely does not reflect in Catholicism and nor the call of Christ to be "light in the world".

In the fourth season ofSex education, one of the series that most reflect the problems of real life of today's young people, from the relationship with the parents, passing through sexuality, the genre, the friendship, the faith and many other themes, I have faced a character in to which I found a considerable similarity from the name Eric, an African American boy, of Christian religion who lives this strong conflict between faith, attention not the true faith, but that "belief" that separates the tradition preserved by the family, according to them just and severe, From its intention, fragile and true.

Among the many aspects of Eric that outline him best, in addition to being fantastically whimsical and the fact of being gay, is that of his joy, the joy of living and of being himself, who always leads him to help those close, And it is the aspect that affects the most.

Over time, however, his combat becomes more and more intense, especially when he understands that he cannot give up the nature that God has given him, but let alone the relationship with his Church which he considers as a family, and everything contains in an act, The baptism that is preparing to receive. In the same period, however, he has conflicting sensations, these visions in which God presents himself in the form of a woman who calls him to be a tangible sign of his love while remaining as he is.

The fatal day of baptism, disappointed by his church which, in the face of his coming out and the request to be accepted, does not show himself at all open, running away from this has the following dialogue with God.

Eric: “I can't get baptized, I can't be something that are not ... what do you want from me? Why are you laughing? "

God: "Because you did exactly that I wanted me to do, today it was the beginning of a long and hard path, but I will always be with you in every step of the journey. You will change your hearts and minds, you will let everyone know that I love them for what they are, this will be your vocation, it will be the work of your life. "

Eric: "I'm not convinced of it ... "

God: "I made you so bright so that others can see in the darkness "

To be "fishermen of men"It is nothing more than to show the true nature of God, that is, unconditional love, but first we must necessarily seize him, as Simone did, who despite what he was and his sins Christ called him to make him his disciple, or as Eric that , despite his disappointment towards a Church that does not accept him for what he is, he feels he is called to show who is close to him a different God, a God who passes in our lives and especially in our fragility.

We must experience God's love to be witnesses, the Gospel cannot be witnessed with empty words of experience, with vain totally useless and disillusioned doctrines, but being disciples means beingHappy and free witnessesOf this meeting, to experience the hope that we will also celebrate in the next Jubilee.