By Fr J. Pulinthanath, SDB –
We have just bid farewell to a year and stepped in to a new one. Each passing year reminds us of interminable change and of time’s winged chariot hurrying past. We thank God for all what has been and look to the same God to take us through what lies ahead.
Amidst the numerous changes we see around, a rise in ‘intolerance’ is most disturbing. Is ‘intolerance’ on the rise the world over? It seems so, and our own sacred spaces are no longer proof against this nefarious onslaught. Are we too unwittingly becoming part of the increasing intolerance around? By virtue of our being part of clergy and religious, we perhaps would like to think of ourselves as good enough examples, if not paragons, of tolerance and inclusiveness. Do our actions exemplify the same?
To consider an example, the way some of us conduct ourselves in the virtual legroom that WhatsApp groups provide is intriguing. Especially when, as is won’t to happen time and again, a confused post from some well-intentioned but confused member clogs normal traffic. When that happens most members would perhaps choose to ignore the posts in question; presumably, for their own reasons, and get on with life and further postings. But some would see them as opportunities to set things right. The alacrity and anger with which they take on the sender of such ‘irrelevant’ posts is disconcerting. Quick to point out that by no stretch of imagination such posts fit into the ‘raison d’être’ of the group, they demand punitive measures, even expulsion of the defaulter! Almost always the person is the target, not the content of the post.
By reacting thus, are we unwittingly setting ourselves up on high moral pedestals and arrogating powers that even angels fear to stake claim? Are we innocently giving away more of ourselves than we think? Most groups seem to have a few who naively think that the flurry of messages and images they frenziedly disseminate can change the world. The point is how to deal with them in a group? While opinions may vary on that, it is clear that by not allowing any leeway for such enthusiasts we betray a superficial understanding of life’s delicious variety and diversity.
Can our WhatsApp groups also be like the wartime playground hospital that Pope Francis says he would like the Church to be a gathering place of all sorts of people – the strong, the weak and the vulnerable, having a clear direction? A place of trust, help and understanding; a platform where one’s weaknesses will be tolerated, even treated and may be healed, but never encouraged, ridiculed or amplified. Just a thought; perhaps it syncs with the times we find ourselves in.
This article is carried with permission from CBCI