The Epidemic of Cynicism
Opportunity, I read recently, is ‘a favourable occasion for grasping yet another disappointment!’ The cynic’s view of the world may make us laugh, chuckling quietly to ourselves at how cleverly seen the world is by one who observes human nature so closely.Yet even as I chuckle to myself I know that there is some truth for me. Cynicism touches us all in a world where there are too many problems to solve, problems of such immensity that it is easier to close our eyes and dream of other things than to struggle and contribute and rally others to open their eyes.
I’m thinking of world poverty, of the reality of dealing with the very real challenges the children in Moldova and Romania face, and of wars and rumours of wars in places we have never even heard of. I’m thinking too of the unexpected things that happen and crash onto our headlines upsetting our reverie by their very unexpectedness - Earthquakes, Tsunamis, September 11, our bombings in London - the list could go on.
How we react to these things is a measure of how overcome we are by the epidemic of cynicism. When we turn towards the world and see its plight, or when the news of another natural disaster insinuates itself into our hearing, does it give us yet another opportunity to be disappointed?
It is no wonder that Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Thessalonica: ‘Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.’ It would seem that cynicism, resulting in the closing of eyes, the inattentiveness of hearts and the immobility of hands is nothing new at all and Paul’s words need to fall on our ears also and penetrate our hearts.
As we look around the world, Lord God, we are staggered by poverty and need and human suffering. Forgive us for turning to our lives as if they were all that mattered for in so doing we have turned our back on a world which you love. Amen.
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posted by Father Bill Haymaker @ 12:28
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