THROUGH UNTRUE
We believe that with Jesus's resurrection, He triumphed over sin, death, and the devil. However, it appears that the devil has not entirely ceased to tempt us. He just adapted his tactics. Crafty as he is, the devil entices us to engage in seemingly harmless pursuits and relationships which later become addictions. He also lures us to embrace mediocrity and to settle for an effortless existence until we find ourselves trapped in a cycle of entitlement and privilege. Worst of all, he urges us to become so self-reliant that we end up being indifferent towards God.
Indifference or apathy denotes an attitude of unconcern. When that happens in our relationship with God, we lose interest in Him and the eternal truths that He embodies. Separating ourselves from Him who gives ultimate significance to our life, we embark on a succession of transient activities and encounters lacking purpose or direction. We find ourselves adrift in a sea of uncertainty, susceptible to despair when confronted with unexpected adversity or injustice.
Belief in God makes us feel accountable before Him, fostering a sense of responsibility towards our actions and the world at large. It instills values such as compassion, justice, and forgiveness, propelling us to strive for a more just society. Without these guiding principles, we lose our moral compass. Our consistent disregard for God's voice in our conscience weakens our ability to choose good over evil.
Apathy towards God is worse than crucifying Him on the cross, as Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy says in his poem "Indifference" (which I modified a bit):
When Jesus came to Golgotha
they hanged Him on a tree,
they drove great nails through
His hands and feet,
and made a Calvary.
But when Jesus came to our town,
we simply passed Him by,
we never hurt a hair of Him,
we only let Him die;
for we had grown more tender,
and we would not give Him pain,
we only passed Him down the street
and left Him in the rain.
And Jesus, drenched to the bones,
wept with tears no one would see.
He crouched against a wall
and cried for Calvary.”
It is frightening to imagine a society governed by leaders who are indifferent to God and His commandments. While professing to be Christians, these leaders demonstrate no hesitation in segregating their public life from their religious convictions. They engage in corrupt practices, enact laws contrary to Christian ethics, actively promote and benefit from illegal activities such as gambling, smuggling, condone extrajudicial killings, and partake in other un-Christian behavior.
In his Lenten message of 2015, Pope Francis lamented our indifference towards God, which has spilled over into our interactions with others. He termed it the "globalization of indifference." He wrote: "Many of us have become incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, shedding tears for the pain of others, and feeling a duty to assist them, as if these were someone else's responsibilities and not our own. Indifference towards our neighbor and towards God is a genuine temptation for us Christians, a challenge that we must confront."
The resurrection of Jesus stands as a potent remedy against such indifference. His triumph over sin and death gives us the strength to liberate ourselves from erroneous beliefs and amoral lifestyles. The risen Christ reassures us that even when we distance ourselves from Him, He unfailingly pursues us, extending the grace necessary to turn our indifference into a fervent faith characterized by devotion, moral integrity, and selfless service to others.