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To have the courage of one´s convictions
RNDr. Petr Kaňovský
Nestačí v Boha "pouze" věřit, ale člověk by se měl snažit z víry žít. Není správné se smířit s tím, že je "svět" špatný, že jsou mnozí lidé zkorumpováni, že je obtížné v "běžném životě" prosadit právo a spravedlnost, nestačí si pouze stěžovat na "poměry ve společnosti", ale...
It´s not enough „only“to believe in God but you should try to live from your faith.It´s not right to put up with the fact that “the world“is bad that plenty of people are corrupt that it´s difficult to push through the justice and law in “the normal life“.It´s not sufficient only to complain about “the circumstances in the society“ but….
My name is Petr Kaňovský and I´m from Brno.I´ve studied the natural science majoring in technical mathematics at the Masarykova university in Brno.
I´d like to tell you how I live my faith in relation to the external world, especially to being in bussiness, work and administering the funds.I´d also like to hand over my personal experience to you.
Although my parents brought me up in a rather passive approach to life ( it was in the spirit of the communist times ) during my studies at the university I got involved thanks to a few circumstances in a major economic case.At first I didn´t have the foggiest idea about its scale, I just bought shares of one company expecting the decent increase in the form of payment of liquidation balance.Unfortunately, the society was stripped of its assets and there was no payment of expected liquidation balance.
Gradually I also found out that people who passed off as the protectors of the smaller shareholders carried on this activity almost exclusively for the purpose of their own benefit.They encashed the compensations of ten millions crowns for taking back their lawsuits.I found out that although this company had almost 2500000 shareholders I was one of few people who were capable of fighting even though then I didn´t have any experience with bringing the actions or lawsuits ( in addition I´m a matematician not a lawyer ).I was also very naive so I believed that it was easy to succeed in enforcing law and justice and that it was sufficient only to have the courage to push it through.
During several months since bringing the first actions and my involvement in this case I´d started being under severe pressure, I was smeared, the shareholders who´d backed me up were blackmailed, there were attempts of bribe, intimidation and things like that.If I´d succumbed to this pressure I could be financially secured until the end of my life but I wouldn´t have been lucky almost definitely.
I gradually found the real scale of this case, came to know economic connection of the people who´d stripped this company of its assets.There were involved some judges, policemen, journalists, notaries and people like that.I became very disillusioned about it.Initially, I believed that the courts and police of the Czech Republic would settle my initiative in a few months but the reality was totally different.The property of this company went even bankrupt on the strength of the fraudulent debt claims and these bancrupcy proceedings were cancelled only thanks to our great efforts.Owing to our efforts and perseverance we succeeded in winning a few partial victories nonetheless this case wasn´t drawing to an end at all.
Although I experienced relatively great disappointment and in spite of the fact that this case cost me a lot – it lead to my financial and mental problems apart from other things – I felt the God´s support without which I´d have succumbed to this huge pressure.I don´t know how this case will come out but I feel that I´ve set the others an example of person, who doesn´t like money best of all, who thinks the spiritual values are more important than profit, who doesn´t feel hatred for his opponents ( even though I could have some reasons for it ), who has courage to fight the evil in this life even where it looks pointless and hopeless.I´m glad that not only the shareholders react like this but also my opponents are in essence amazed at my behaviour.
Nevertheless, I know very well that it´s not my merit I know very well that all the abilities, which I have, come from God and I know very well that I wouldn´t manage anything without God´s help.
I´m very well aware of the fact that I´m a very weak, sinnful and imperfect man.At the same time I´m also well aware of the abilities that the Lord gave me and I realize that if I was given these gifts I should put them to good use.
I know that the behaviour according to the Christian values isn´t usual in those circles where big economic cases take place.I know well that it´s not easy to put up with the fact that it´s useless to oppose the power of money and corruption because it´s past hope.However, I´d like to encourage you.
I´m grateful to God that he´s chosen just me so that I could fight to the best of my knowledge and belief, so that I could be an example of that man who doesn´t give up, who can´t be corrupted or intimidated, who is trying to put through the Christian values even when it looks hopeless and useless.I know that nothing from what I´ve achieved isn´t my merit I just carried out those things God´d called me to and helped me with.
I know I´m a weak, imperfect and sinnful man who´s made lots of mistakes both in my life and in this case but despite all this I believe that my participation was fruitful and right thanks to it I could go a long way towards “evangelizing“those circles and people where another manner of evangelization isn´t really possible.
Although the case isn´t near the end at all I´m glad that also thanks to my participation it could be partially won, it was possible to take control of the company and it was possible for us to get some space to be able to reclaim property and provided that this case is successful it might serve as a proof of the fact that it´s worthy to fight even in situations that look beyond remedy.I´m very glad that God´s given me the power to act like this because without God I wouldn´t manage anything but I can achieve a lot with God.
I´ve been participating in this case for at least 10 years, from which 5 years actively.I believe that although I´ve made lots of mistakes, my activity was useful and went a long way towards stabilizing the company to such an extent that my futher commitment isn´t necessary.During last months I´m feeling a very strong God´s calling and I feel that God apparently wants me to take another journey through life.Even though I´m afraid of this change I hope I´ll be able to tell God:“Thy will be done“ and by saying the words in the hymn-book Hosana ( number 191 ):“I believe you´re calling me, Oh my Lord, I hear I hear Your voice, I believe you´re calling me, oh my Lord, I´m giving You all my life.“
In conclusion, I´d like to say several conclusions that I drew during last months and years.I realize that it´s not for me to give you some advice because you´ve got much more human and life experience than me.You also experience much deeper relation with God than me and your life is much fuller than mine.Nevertheless, allow me to have a try at advising you with the knowledge of my own imperfection and sinnfulness.
It´s not enough „only“to believe in God but you should try to live on your faith.It´s not right to put up with the fact that “the world“is bad that plenty of people are corrupt that it´s difficult to push through the justice and law in “the normal life“.It´s not sufficient only to complain about “the circumstances in the society“ but it´s necessary to try to change the things personally and really explicitly, for example by taking active part, promoting good values or saying personal prayers.
It´s useful to act like this and to improve things by showing the world a little light of faith,love,strength,hope and humility even in those places where at first it might seem to be pointless and of no good.If a person is trying to act in accordance with God and his ( her ) conscience, God will give him the strength and courage to endure even in the most difficult moments even when the others think everything is no good and futile.
I feel that it´s not correct to accept the evil in whatever life situation or even adapt oneself to it.I suppose that if you feel your mission you shouldn´t experience your faith only in church but you should ask for the courage to spread the Christian values in those places where it´s not usual, where these values are rather the obstacle to the success „according to the human standards“.
I believe that where you try to live from the true faith, God´s going to give you strength, courage and often the necessary abilities and you can have „such a faith that moves the rock, such a faith that walks on the water“ in spite of the knowledge of your own imperfection.
Knowing the fact that I´m an imperfect, weak, sinful and a searching man I beg to conclude my contribution with this thought:“Don´t be afraid of living from faith and relationship with God round the clock.Manage to shine the world in which we are living and change it.I believe it´s worth it.
Postscript: Two months after writing this evidence ( in May 2006 ) RNDr.Petr Kaňovský felt the calling to priesthood and consacrated life.In June 2006 he was received into the Congregation of the Holiest Saviour (Redemptorists) and since September 2006 he´s been a student of divinity at the Trnava Faculty of Theology in Bratislava.At the same time he´s been an applicant at the Redemptorists ( at the monastery in Bratislava ).
RNDr.Petr Kaňovský, February 2007
Displayed 14794x od 14. 02. 2007
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