For awhile now, I've been trying to figure out how to address the
madness that seems to have engulfed the world. Ethnic cleansing, bombing as
a foreign policy, assisted suicide, abortion, children killing children.
One could go into the socio-political issues involved in Yugoslavia. We
could review history to see similar occurrences and their impact. But the
bottom line, the pain found in the world, the spiritual hole in the 'soul' of
the world which cries to be filled. So we try to fill it with sex, money,
and power, but neglect, or refuse, to see (and accept) the consequences of
our actions.
The Serbs don't 'see' the consequences of their claims of sovereignty in
Kosovo. We don't 'see' the consequences of our bombing of Yugoslavia.
We don't see, or accept, the consequences of telling our children, both
implicitly or explicitly, that they have to look to themselves first. So we
shouldn't be shocked that some take to violence to ease their pain inflicted
by others. We always want to place the blame on someone else, never on
ourselves.
There was an old cartoon strip called "Pogo" which had a phrase, "We have
met the enemy, and they are us."
Christ said it best though, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts,
murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what
defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man" (Matthew
15:19-20).
In their hearts, the Serbs are only reclaiming what is theirs. In their
hearts, NATO is only defending the powerless. In their hearts, the two boys
were merely giving back what was deserved. In his heart, Kevorkian is acting
in mercy. I've heard sociologists blaming the young victims for 'driving'
the two boys to such measures. It's called blaming the victim.
But we encourage people to seek 'empowerment'. So is it any wonder that
people who feel 'empowered', or some who are deprived of power, use power so
evilly?
When we see people being taught that it is a viable option to kill the
sick and elderly, to terminate an 'inconvenient' pregnancy, why is it that we
are surprised that the value of human life is regarded as nothing?
Yes, to use a line from a song, we have taught our children well. But
not in the way of Christ.
Where Christ taught "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24), we teach our children,
"Empower yourself, removed obstacles and inconveniences, and follow your
heart and desires."
Where Christ taught, "For whoever would save his life will lose it, and
whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25), we teach our
children, "Take care of yourself first. Remove anything that hampers that."
And where Christ taught "For what will it profit a man, if he gains the
whole world and forfeits his life?" (Matthew 16:26), we teach our children, "Try
to gain the whole world, strive for success through money, power, whatever it
takes."
We have sown the wind and are reaping the whirlwind.
"Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for
the sake of gain to Balaam's error, and perish in Korah's rebellion. These
are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking
after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees
in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the
foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of
darkness has been reserved for ever" (Jude 11-13).
"Our Lord said to the women of Jerusalem, '.... weep for yourselves and for
your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed
are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never
gave suck!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and
to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what
will happen when it is dry?'" (Luke 23:28-31).
If this can happen when things are good, when we prosper, what will happen
when adversity comes, when times are hard? What will our chidlren do?
Weep, and pray. For alone, we can do nothing. We must follow the
admonition of our Lady at Fatima and elsewhere, we must return to the Lord in
repentance and humility. If we don't, a worse 'war' will befall us.