It is of no doubt that
we face in our generation a deep identity crisis. There is a search for an
identity mark to which we can attach ourselves. Perhaps it is because we are
not able to find a self within ourselves; it is shattered, fragmented, socially
imprinted or branded.
Attaching ourselves
with an ideology, culture or religion we might look for an identity. Making
sure that these structures are well protected becomes very important, because
it provides us something of what we are. Is that totally wrong? May not be
completely! It can help if we are able to find the essence above the structures
and modalities. If the latter is the focus, all our aim will be for preserving
them which must be mere means, not the end. Replacing of means with the end
actually forms extreme views in us because it demands a protective mode.
We can observe the
extreme tendencies in different faith traditions as polarised activism, all
believing that they offer worship to God. They can be seen as distorted
responses to postmodern crisis, which offers a sense of identity, belonging and
purpose.
Another form of
extremism is withdrawal. We have the beautiful word ‘asceticism’ in whose
pretext we can escape from the challenges of the world. This modern trend
should not be mistaken by making parallel with monastic asceticism of medieval
time. What we need to look into is whether these attitudes really become a
sign, a living inspiration to the wounded world, even if they are able to make
impressions and promote pious sensation among the likeminded. Being present to
the world amidst struggles, with all humility and courage, we must be ready to
tell the world that we don’t have all answers to the problems of the world, but
placing our hope we join Christ in searching for them.
We can move away and
counter everything in the world which we term evil trends. In every trend there
sobs a quest. The Bible shows many conscientious heroes who kept their purity,
detaching themselves from gentile company and food. We may be identified as
person of fire/ spirit but the actions done serve only our desire for work
fulfilment. Overenthusiasm and emotionalism need to be faced with prudence and
selfcontrol, otherwise they might bring damage than growth.
Jesus did not become a
hero in any of the above mode. He was gentle and humble of heart. He asked us
to live our life in the freedom of the children of God. He gave us the spirit.
Being patient with ourselves and our dreams, gradually spirit works within, and
we find ourselves healed and strengthened.
As social beings we do
belong to forms and structures of society, and so also of religion. But they
are to point towards human fulfilment. These glorious structures and modalities
of religion, institutions and movements may be wrongly attached as identity
marks which creates in us a conscientious hero. We must humbly allow new forms
to emerge, rejoice at the sight of the Lord in the new blooms.
Do we make attempts to
personalise the attitudes of Jesus, and patiently go through a process of
Christification? Or do we simply attach ourselves to a religious structure? We
may be more concerned about how purely we are Catholic, how authentically we
are eastern or western, how strict we are in our pious observations, or how
meticulously we seek to find a proud relation to the Bible in making use of
Hebrew names and titles. What is our focus? Our emphasis shows where we are
rooted. Immediately we must warn ourselves if we find that we offer worship to
our identity marks, not to God. Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking [it
is not extreme forms of piety and emotionalism, it is not well conducted number
of events, it is not becoming isolated special ‘pure’ Christian, it is not
idolatrous reverence to the Bible], but it is righteousness, peace and joy in
the Holy Spirit.
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