Interpreting Our World Today
Brethren, there are many natural human abilities to read and predict the future especially as it concerns weather. One may look in the west and knows that it is going to rain and so it does, or one may look at the clouds and says it won't rain and so it doesn't. Seafarers and farmers know the importance of spotting weather conditions for safe travel and planting. More still, a lot of effort is made today, with the help of science and technology, to discern potential natural dangers, such as tropical storms, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and erupting volcanoes, so that people can be warned to take shelter before disaster hits. Surprisingly, this is how Jesus wants us to interprete and read the signs of time in our world.
Jesus challenged the people of his time, and us today, that even though they had these abilities to see and predict the future, they could not recognize the presence of the kingdom of God among them in the person, deeds and teachings of Jesus. Even us, if we open our eyes, we can see all around us opportunities to bring the Kingdom of God to reality. Have we embraced them? We need really to read the signs of time in our world today to see which one is bringing the kingdom of God and which one is opposing it.
Our ability to interpret the climatic changes and changes in the sky should also make us able to interpret what is going on in the world today, in social, Spiritual, emotional, moral, sexual, intellectual and other arenas. To interpret our world today we need to remain standing firm for the truth and withhold all the Christian teachings which are centered on Christ teachings. In other words, we should be guided by the Christian values.
How are we to do this? It is important for us, as followers of Christ, to be able to look honestly at our cultures, societies and world as a whole and interpret it honestly and accurately. We need to be able to discern the goodness and the presence of God in our world and we need to also be able to identify and interpret the workings of the evil one in our present time. After this we should be able to stand for what builds the kingdom of God and what opposes it. We should be able to recognize and read the tactics the evil one uses to make us his subjects.
One of the tactics of the evil one is the use of manipulation and lies. The evil one seeks to confuse us in countless ways. These lies may come through the media, through our political leaders and, at times, even though some religious leaders. The evil one loves it when there is division and disorder of every kind. Are these not common among us today?
Our world is fraught with conflict and division, school strikes, tavern shootings, political upheaval, murders, robbery, abortion, euthanasia, homicide, xenophobia, homosexuality, racism, heists, incest, embezzlement of funds, too much love of money, corruption, rape, fornication, greed, adultery etc. All these are works of the evil and opposed to the kingdom. Many of us recognize them as such but the danger is that we still, out our own consciences, practice them with high esteem. And many times, we can be tempted to consider the world’s problems overwhelming and do nothing.
Yet, as Christians, we are called to interpret the times and prayerfully discern how we can help. We know that prayer is a powerful weapon against evil, as is our personal holiness. We can carry our own personal crosses and embrace them as Jesus embraced the Father’s will. God speaks to us through these circumstances. He asks us to trust that our crosses are a means for good in our lives and the lives of others even though they are painful and involve sacrifice. And sometimes, we are called to address societal issues head-on. “People say, ‘What is the sense of our small effort?’ They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words, and deeds is like that. No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There's too much work to do” (Dorothy Day).
Let us stand and upheld what is good, right, just and the truth, for God is with us and has helped us discern between what is good and evil. Reflect, today, upon whether or not you are willing and able to let the Holy Spirit cut through the confusion so manifestly present all around us. Are you ready to allow the Holy Spirit of Truth to penetrate your mind and lead you into all truth? Seeking the truth in our present time is the only way to survive the many errors and confusions thrown at us each day.
Let us pray
Lord, help me to interpret the present time and to see the errors fostered all around us, as well as Your goodness manifest in so many ways. Give me courage and wisdom so that I may reject what is evil and seek that which is from You. Amen
Be blessed
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