The little girl on the threshold
The writer of Iranian origin Lila Azam Zanganeh and his experience in the communication jubilee
By Andrea Tornielli
“I felt like a little girl welcomed in a house that could also be hers …” Lila Azam Zanganeh speaks with a torrent passionate about words, of which none seem useless. His big black eyes study his listener, as if they read their hearts. Born in Paris by Iranian parents, she taught literature and the film in Harvard, lives between Rome, Paris and New York, and speaks seven languages. She is a woman of the world who knows the world and the mother of a two -year -old child. In recent days, she has participated in the communication jubilee alongside other members of Narration 4The non -profit organization founded by the writer Colum McCann to promote empathy and mutual understanding by sharing personal stories.
“Assisting the jubilee,” she said with emotion, “may have been one of the most important events in my life, alongside the birth of my son two years ago. I was born in Paris and my Iranian mother had attended Catholic schools in Tehran. Since childhood, she instilled me a very open faith. I studied in a Catholic school. But nobody ever told me that I was not Catholic! “”
When Lila was nine years old, she “discovered” that she could not receive communion because she was not baptized. And according to the rules, she should wait for her to be fifteen to be baptized. “I remember attending the catechism in France. One day, in class, I asked a question: “Why is only Christ the Son of God?” Are we not all children of God? The catechist – perhaps noting my last name – said: “If you say such things, you do not belong here.” It was a painful memory. “But, by a miracle and perhaps thanks to the faith of my mother, I continued to have a very deep relationship with Christianity. You can imagine my emotion when you arrive at the jubilee.
Lila has always followed the Pope’s testimony carefully and admiration. “A priest of the Amazon said to me once:” With this pope, there is the law of the heart, and in your heart, you are already a Christian. “I was deeply moved by the inclusive vision of Francis, his insistence that we have to go out in the world to share the message of Jesus. I was overwhelmed when he spoke of a hit god, no ‘Enter, but to go out and reach everyone.
Friday, January 24, the first act of the jubilee of communicators was a penitential vigil in St. John Leterran. “I often assist mass, even if I know that” technically “I am not Catholic,” she admits. “And I can say that the liturgical service I participated in Lateran was the most beautiful that I have ever known. At one point, we were told that sixty priests were available for confessions. A friend of Narration 4Rosa, who is very Catholic, immediately went to admit. On his return, I asked if it was a good experience. She replied: “very”. I said to him, “I’m not strictly Catholic … Do you think I can go too?” She is generally very precise about these things, so I expected what she says: “Absolutely not!” Instead, she said, “Yes, you can go.” “”
Lila, the little girl who wanted to communion but could not receive it because she was not baptized, got up and approached one of the priests. “I was queuing the French -speaking confessors. When I reached the Congolese priest, the first thing I said was: “Father, my first sin is that I am not Catholic. But I have the Christian faith in my heart. He replied: “We are all sinners, and in the house of God, you are welcome. Then he started to pray. It was such a beautiful moment that I started to cry, but joy. He told me wonderful things. He invited me to stay connected to the Holy Spirit, and we talked about love, which sometimes faces disappointment. He told me that the others were always part of us and reminded me of the command of love. I cried tears of joy, and in the end, I laughed and thanked it because it was such a deeply joyful experience. »»
Monday morning, during an audience for an group of communicators, Lila had the chance to meet Pope Francis in person and to share part of his history. “He looked at me, encouraged me to continue and have courage. Even my Congolese confessor had understood the spirit of the pope – this incredible opening, like someone who is both outside and inside at the same time, always pushing beyond. “”
And so, in the embrace of the jubilee and this moment in the confessional, Lila felt like a little girl standing on the threshold, but welcomed in a house that could be hers. It is held at the threshold, a bit like the great French Catholic writer Charles Péguy, who wrote unforgettable depth and faith pages, but remained unable to receive the sacraments throughout his life because he was civilly married to an atheist woman and had three non -baptized children. Thinking about the three years of Jesus’ public life, Péguy wrote:
“He did not spend them whining or blaming the wickedness of the time … He did not corne, he condemned anyone. He saved. He has not charged the world. He saved the world. Others, instead, denounce, reason and print, as angry doctors repressing the patient. They blame the sands of the time, but even in the time of Jesus, there were ages and their sands. However, on this dry sand, on the sand of the time, an inexhaustible spring flowed – a spring of grace. »»
This same grace now shines through the words and the face of a writer who is “technically” not Catholic. But in his heart, one evening in the Latière, the world and grace kissed – until they become almost indistinguishable.
(Tagstotranslate) dicastery for communication
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