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96.âThis way of thinking also feeds the vain-
glory of those who are content to have a mod-
icum of power and would rather be the general
of a defeated army than a mere private in a unit
which continues to fight. How often we dream
up vast apostolic projects, meticulously planned,
just like defeated generals! But this is to deny our
history as a Church, which is glorious precisely
because it is a history of sacrifice, of hopes and
daily struggles, of lives spent in service and fi-
delity to work, tiring as it may be, for all work is
âthe sweat of our browâ. Instead, we waste time
talking about âwhat needs to be doneâ â in Span-
ish we call this the sin of âhabriaqueÃsmoâ â like
spiritual masters and pastoral experts who give
instructions from on high. We indulge in endless
fantasies and we lose contact with the real lives
and difficulties of our people.
97.âThose who have fallen into this world-
liness look on from above and afar, they reject
the prophecy of their brothers and sisters, they
discredit those who raise questions, they con-
stantly point out the mistakes of others and they
are obsessed by appearances. Their hearts are
open only to the limited horizon of their own
immanence and interests, and as a consequence
they neither learn from their sins nor are they
genuinely open to forgiveness. This is a tremen-
dous corruption disguised as a good. We need
to avoid it by making the Church constantly go
out from herself, keeping her mission focused on
Jesus Christ, and her commitment to the poor.
