Reflections for 2/04/10

"A consumer-oriented, functional and materialistic age finds faith almost impossible. We want religion, but we surely do not want faith. Because if faith is nothing, the faithful person is a nobody. In our shallow culture, trust is called naivete'. Forgiveness always looks like being soft and conceding to the enemy-even speaking the truth will not win you any votes or look patriotic on the evening news. Faith is nothing in this age and culture. Faith always has been nothing." (R. Rohr "Radical Grace" p. 71)

I'll have to admit that one of my fears is not mattering. It's a kink in my armor to be sure. I want fully to believe that I matter, and that what I do matters. Yet, since I consider what is central to how I go about living, it is faith. Something that is immeasurable and unprovable, but when you have it, you can't live without. It is no coincidence that St. Paul says that faith, hope and love abide. Yes I know the greatest is love. But it will be hard to walk in love, without faith and without hope.

I do believe that Fr. Rohr is correct about our culture wanting religion, or at least the show of it, but probably not faith. Religious people make for great and controversial sound bites, faithful people just do, not seeking the limelight. We're nobodies by choice. We trust, even when called naive, because to not trust is to cave in to the cynicism, and to have to constantly be looking behind one's back, and questioning the people's hidden agendas all the time. No wonder the mental professions are thriving. Forgiving people is not nearly as glamarous as calling for retribution, making people pay. Going under the false impression that in fact any hurt I have will be healed through another's suffering.

I probably won't be successful by worldly standards. I may have to find some other methods of measurement. But I certainly hope to continue to be faithful, and to live and grow in faith.

Blessings,
Ed