Without Christianity, the United Europe will not become a society but a company. It will be unable to develop into anything more than a well-organised group of
people, connected between them only with the frosty logic of the rights of the
individual. In Christian society, human relations are governed by the wealth of
the soul, and it is only when this latter has become exhausted that we resort to
the law. In contrast, in a company the law stipulates the nature and the manner
of the relations so that the whole may be maintained in order, so one is then
left with the impression that one’s self develops as one thinks fit. I wonder,
how much loneliness will be needed before we realise that the development of
personality outside the blessed society is precisely what is described in the
parable of the Prodigal Son?
Without Christianity, the common framework of values, which we all share, will
be abolished and replaced by the private sphere. Our ethics will no longer be
able to determine human rights, but will be determined by them. I wonder, how
much pain will be needed before we realise that the rights of man are not the
way for man to live, that man lives if and only if he does service, that he is
happy only when he gives and offers, because he too then becomes the recipient
of an inexpressible gift, and therefore man’s greatest right is to waive his own
rights, to be able to go constantly beyond them.
Without Christianity, spiritual life will be pointless, and will be identified
with entertainment, with pleasure and with rest. I wonder, how much pain will be
needed before we realise that a spiritual life which is not in constant contact
with exercise is no real recreation but flabbiness and futile words? And what
situation need we come to before we see that what should be great offer and
rejoicing of the spirit has deteriorated into gratification? How far down need
we fall before we open our eyes at last to see that, without devotion and
sacredness, voluptuousness is affliction, and enjoyment is a deadly sword?
