December 7, 2005
I went into a bit of “culture shock” the other day, not far from home. I was in a medical office waiting for one of the brothers who was having a test done. I was reading a book about Saint Francis’ prayer and devotion, but there was a television in the waiting room with a variety of late-morning programs, including a talk show called “The View.” After years of not watching television, and perhaps never having sat through an entire talk show, I was shocked at the total spirit of superficiality being broadcast. I mostly tuned it out while I was reading, but my interest was caught by some spiritual topics being discussed. It began with a “miracle baby” born to one of the presenters at only six months. The presenter somewhat casually stated that they were going to “pull the plug” when the doctor told her that the child would have a great deal of medical problems. Then her pastor came to pray with them, the newborn lifted his arm, and now her little boy is a chunky, healthy baby. All of the 4 women presenters were nicely acknowledging this miracle baby.
A couple of minutes later, breaking into my reading about Saint Francis’ lofty contemplation, I hear amazement over some guest who was invited on because he lost a great deal of weight and felt the need to tell everyone the details of what he eats every day. The next guest had them all rambling on about their sex drive. Then they had two actors who played Pope John Paul II for a TV movie last week. They managed to talk about the Pope with far less interest than they did about the man who lost a lot of weight, including the statement that they were glad the director “didn’t sanctify him too much.” Although I was surprised to hear anything about a “miracle baby” or Pope John Paul II, I was even more shocked by the total shallowness in which meaningful topics can be discussed on a talk show.
In England and much of Europe, we encounter a culture that is more atheistic and anti-religious than in America. But Europeans often notice how superficially Americans can speak of spiritual and religious matters. We need to battle against this spirit of superficiality and comfortable shallowness with lives of real prayer, quiet reflection, faith, hope and love of God and neighbor. “Not as man sees does God see; for man sees the appearance but God looks into the heart.” His view is the view I want to pay attention to.
Fr. Richard Roemer, CFR
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