Il mondo presente è come il fornello d’un forgiatore. Orbene come nel fornello dell’orefice trovi la paglia, l’oro e il fuoco, così nel mondo trovi l’incredulo, il fedele e le prove della vita.
La paglia è l’incredulo, l’oro è il credente, il fuoco è la prova. Queste tre realtà si trovano in uno spazio assai ristretto, ma, per quanto sia stretto lo spazio dove si trovano, le tre realtà posseggono ciascuna le proprie caratteristiche: il fuoco arde, la paglia si consuma, l’oro si purifica.
Non ti sorprenda dunque il fatto che ai tuoi occhi il mondo si presenti pieno di scandali, di ingiustizie, di corruzione e di oppressioni; non sorprenderti nemmeno se, per l’aggravarsi dei mali che ci assalgono, gli uomini bestemmiano Dio e maledicono i nostri tempi cristiani. Non ti spaventino né gli insulti lanciati a Dio né i rimproveri contro il cristianesimo: è la paglia che sta bruciando.
E in effetti nel pronunciare i loro giudizi usano parole roboanti e quasi infiammate. Non stupirti se la paglia, mentre brucia, produce del chiarore: dopo un po’ diventerà cenere, mentre fintantoché brucia crepita e fa fumo. Tu, che sei oro, taci e lasciati purificare. Mentre la paglia brucia e con lei le sue bestemmie, tu lasciati purificare delle tue scorie.
L’incredulo, il fedele e le prove della vita (S. Agostino, Commento al Salmo 81)
![[4:23] Carved stone head, Drumeague, Corleck, Co. Cavan. Early Iron Age, first to second century ad. Known since it came to scientific attention in 1937 as the Corleck Head, this three-faced stone idol was found in the townland of Drumeague, Co. Cavan around the year 1855. It appears that it was one of a number of carvings found, including a bearded bust now known as the Corraghy Head which was later built into a barn in the nearby townland of that name. Thomas Barron, the local historian who brought the three-faced head to the attention of the National Museum, spent a lifetime researching the local traditions concerning the find and he concluded that the figures were associated with a shrine located at Drumeague Hill. Nearby is Corleck Hill, where it appears that between 1832 and 1900 a Passage Tomb surrounded by a stone circle and a circular embankment seventy yards in diameter were dismantled. The site of these monuments was the centre of an important Lughnasa festival that celebrated the harvest, an ancient Celtic tradition which survives into modern times. Other Celtic stone heads have been found in the vicinity such as those from Corravilla and Cavan Town and the find-place of the three-faced idol is only twelve miles from Loughcrew, Co. Meath. A little further north there is another group of Iron Age stone carvings which appear to be centred on the vicinity of Emain Macha, the main political and ritual site of ancient Ulster. The likelihood is that the Corleck Head was associated with a shrine reflecting Romano-British traditions located close to where the carving was discovered. The three-faced carving is the finest of its type and there is a small hole in the base to help it stand securely, perhaps on a pedestal. One of the faces is heavy browed and all of them have bossed eyes, a broad nose and slit mouth. One of the mouths has a small circular hole at the centre and this feature is also found on two of the Co. Armagh carvings and on another from Woodland](https://preghierecorte.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/6756518c5560b53fbc444d1f313e3cb4.jpg?w=525&h=649)
preghiere corte 