THE WORD IN JOHN'S GOSPEL AND FREIRE'S PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED

The Gospel for the Mass During the Day on Christmas begins: "In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

Paulo Freire in Pedagogy of the Oppressed states in the first paragraph of Chapter 3: Within the word we find two dimensions, reflection and action, in such radical interaction that if one is sacrificed--even in part-- the other immediately suffers.  There is no true word that is not at the same time a praxis.  Thus, to speak a true word is to transform the World.

These two dimensions of reflection and action are stated in a similar way in this quote from Pope Francis:










These quotes which I have linked together challenge me to ask myself: "Do I have the balance of these two, reflection (prayer) and action in my life?  My own judgement is that the Catholic Church in the U.S. has put heavy emphasis on the Prayer part of this balance, to the neglect of Call to Action.  Basic Christian communities in Mexico, Central and South America, Africa and Asia almost always end their reflection and prayer on the scriptures with determining an action.  Something to reflect on.