Olor a Yerba seca (dry grass aroma)

By: Alejandro Llano

BookNo.: r027

Asunto: highlights

Fecha: 23/11/11

• This book are the author's memoires from childhood till late 90's. It is originally written in Spanish. I don't knownif there are any translations available.
• Although mostly very simple it is generally quite amusing, entertaining and even thought provoking.
• Most of the annecdotes he narrates show a life which hasn't been too extraordinary, although the author is certainly quite gifted intellectually and has lived an interesting period of the history of Spain with a very eventful life also due to his own struggling character. These seem to be family traits.
• Some interesting highlights from the concluding chapter:
• My vocation to philosophy and what has brought me to get closer to Jesus Christ, have the same origin, and in a way, the same direction. It is about searching for the truth and a fulfilled life without any conditions, without too many sensible attachments, forgetting about the absorbing and selfish self. One vocation helps and gives support to the other one. There is no opposition between faith and reason. [faith and reason, faith, reason, vocation, philosophy ]
• At the foundations of research in humanities there is always a large amount of reading. Whatever is read becomes part of a sort of humus where personal ideas can grow. There is no clash between originality and the knowledge of what others have written. On the contrary, if you read little, end up falling in the most worn out topics which, due to lack of information, you consider as yours. It is important not to confuse ideas with 'ocurrencias' (spontaneous thoughts). [reading, thought, philosophy, culture]

Verbum Domini part 3 section 3

VERBUM MUNDO
The Word of God and culture (109 onwards)

• God does not reveal himself in the abstract, but by using languages, imagery and expressions that are bound to different cultures

• I wish to reassure all those who are part of the world of culture that they have nothing to fear from openness to God's word, which never destroys true culture but rather is a constant stimulus to seek ever more appropriate, meaningful and humane forms of expression.

• The whole Church expresses her appreciation, esteem and admiration of those artists "enamoured of beauty" who have drawn inspiration from sacred texts. ... Many of them have helped to make somehow perceptiblein time and space, realities that are unseen and eternal.

• Among the new ways of mass communication, nowadays we need to recognize the increased role of the Internet, which represents a new forum for making the Gospel heard. Yet we also need to be aware that the virtual world will never be able to replace the real world, and that evangelization will be able to make use of the virtual world offered by the new media in order to create meaningful relationships only if it is able to offer personal contact which remains indispensable.

• In the world of the Internet which enables millions of images to appear on millions of screens throughout the world, the face of Christ needs to be seen and his voice heard, for "if there is no room for Christ there is no room for man"

• Inculturation is not to be confused with processes of superficial adaptation, much less with a confused syncretism


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