Fr. John Ryan

 

Third Sunday of Easter

22nd April 2007

When we hear of the tragic death of over thirty people on a University campus in Virginia it is difficult to imagine what it must have been like for those present and those affected so deeply and terribly by the mindless taking of life. When we hear of the stabbing of a thirty year old man in a house in Killarney or the body of a man found lying face down on a playing field attached to a primary school it should make us think about the state of life in our own country while praying for those mourning the loss of loved ones.
I often wonder if there is a direct link between the increase in violence, intolerance, and general anti-social behaviour and the movement away from faith and religious expression? It seems as if the drop in active practice of faith has been matched by a rise in the disregard for others, their property and ultimately for life itself. Without God, behaviour seems to have changed. Of course, this is not to say that all who practice are saints - far from it - all of us are, in some shape or form, sinners. However, the basic connection between active faith and behaviour seems to be fairly clear. For those who believe there is an onus on us to live as Jesus did. When he commissions the apostles, giving them their missionary role he intends his message of the Kingdom to be preached far and wide. As well as testifying to his death and resurrection and their great redemptive and salvific effects, the missionary is asked to preach a message of peace, love, tolerance, forgiveness and equality. And for the one who receives the missionary's message there is a responsibility to actively promote such a way of life. In the world of today there is much need of these attributes of the Kingdom. There is a great need for the promotion of respect for life, for the human person. From abortion, to murder, from racism to violent behaviour there are many areas that need to be confronted and good Christian witness given in order to counteract the 'culture of death' that is becoming so prevalent in our society. Do we need a culture of zero tolerance regarding those who totally disrespect their neighbour? Do we need a system that focuses more on re-education and rehabilitation rather than punishment? Have we created a culture of rights without developing a sense of responsibility as well? These are important questions that need to be asked in order to begin a process that will improve the situations in which we live.
As well as the more serious problems of violence there "are other areas to be looked at as well. What is appropriate for our young people, our children? Do we have to become more wary of what they watch on the various forms of media, or of what they listen to in contemporary music? Is it necessary for us to be aware of their dress sense and the underlying message attached to it and the values it promotes? Do we need to educate in relation to sexual matters at a younger age because of the ideas they encounter at an ever younger age? How content are we when we hear that there are young people in our country who are sexually active at the age of 12/13 and indulging in binge drinking and experimentation with drugs at such an age? And if we are not content, as we really should not be, what are we doing to counteract the prevailing culture that affects our children at a vulnerable stage of their lives? Cocaine is readily available in Duhallow - once the drug we encountered in the films we saw in cinema or on TV, it is now part and parcel of the weekend social life of many of our young people. On top of all this throw in the increasing instability in family life in Ireland and we have a recipe with terrible consequences.
Jesus gives us direction in life - a direction that leads us away from these problematic areas and allows us to live in peace. May we all be active promoters of his good news.