The modern age has been called the "Fatigue Society." By this is
not meant the fatigue that comes from living a busy life, but the
fatigue that arises in this busy life from not knowing what to select to
do among the many things we would like to do, which can produce
pathologically induced feelings of tiredness. The seminary professor
writing for the Kyeongyang magazine says we often hear the humorous
phrase: "The idle man is dying of overwork."
In
the past, work often brought on fatigue, but at least it was always
clear what had to be done. The world we lived in was separated from the
world of others, says the professor, and we could depend on our own
society to reinforce our way of acting and to protect us from the
threatening and dangerous world of the other.
Today's
society has changed, he says. The values are no longer shared by our society. What is of value is the personal vision and
convictions of individuals. Other people are of little interest and
somewhat of a burden. The family is no longer seen as a refuge but a
hindrance to personal development. The individual and not the family is
what is important.
It
used to be the imposition of rules--the can't dos of life--that made
life difficult, but today, the professor says it's not the negative
rules of life that tend to overwhelm us but an over-abundance of the
positive that brings on fatigue and many mental difficulties. Parents
still support their children by giving them what they need, but parents
often don't receive back the respect they had in the past.
This
is also seen, says the professor, in the life of the Church. Among
Catholics, the Church was once seen as speaking for God. Sins and
punishment were clear; the teaching and commandments were basically
understood and leaving the Church was to put in danger your future life.
But
all this is changing, he says. The old procedures are no longer
considered valid to many Catholics, feeling themselves no longer bound
by the old ways. One can follow, they believe, the teachings of Jesus
without the Church, whose teachings are considered by some as outdated; a
person's decisions and convictions are considered more important. Peace
of mind has priority over working to evangelize society. The emphasis
on the relativity of truth, while forgetting or denying its absolute
character, has made the existence of the Church problematic, he says.
In the past the Catholic Church and atheism were in
conflict. Today there are thousands of different beliefs that have tried
to find the answers to the mysteries of life, pain and death. No
longer is Christianity unique among the religions. Which means, the
professor believes, there has to be a difference in the way Christianity
is presented. Stressing the Commandments-- our
obligations is not going to do it. We are going to have to show what
has been lost in the changes of society and the love God has shown to humanity and creation.
Pope
Francis, in Brazil during the World Youth Day, stressed that we must
fight against an unhealthy reliance on money, on honors and pleasure,
which seem to be the sole goals of many. The fight against our
materialistic culture by the Church must be waged; without this
encounter the Church will not have a place to stand on.
Yes, the professor admits, life for many has progressed, becoming more
comfortable and enjoyable. We
have, however, lost what is important: joy, peace freedom, love and
hope. The Church has to stress what we have lost, the professor says. We
have to
find the words that will move hearts, dispelling the
darkness that encompasses so much of society.