Recently, I asked some of our students, “What is the greatest commandment?” Surprisingly they had a hard time coming up with the correct answer. Some suggested it was “honor your father and mother,” others said it was “you shall not kill,” but all of the answers were in reference to love of neighbor. I think that this is evidence that our religion can become so focused on the horizontal dimension that we forget about God. 

I remember reading something written by Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium, who, in an address to seminary rectors from Western Europe and North America, examined the numerous reasons why there are not more candidates in seminaries. I think he made an excellent point when he said: “Vertical generosity, doing something for God, is not something with which many are familiar...What is a Christian? ‘Someone who loves the poor, who is in solidarity with the poor’...and we no longer say that Christians are people who love God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their mind.” 

“The specificity of Christianity is not solidarity with those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Our specificity is that we love God. And when young people question that specificity – ‘Love God? What is that all about? We can’t see God after all’ – this attitude has a ripple effect which is becoming a big problem.”