Most of us in the western world live a reasonable comfortable existence. Despite the current fuel prices, we have a great deal of disposable income for new digital cameras, big screen TV’s, cell phones, and mp3 players. For someone sitting in their home theater room or even on their balcony with their favorite beverage a little complacency and self-satisfaction might be understandable.
Material wealth is nice. I’ve been without money and I have had money. Having money is, all other things being equal, better. But often all other things are not equal. How is it that a guy like Hunter Thompson blows his brains out, but some poor old guy in a wheelchair squeaking by on a meager Social Security check toughs it out to the end? How is it that rich men go through women like crap through a goose while some old farmer weeps beside the casket of his wife of sixty years? Why do some people seem at peace with themselves when everything is coming apart around them while others are freaking out or living on Prozac?
Our materialist friends think that this is all there is, and, the more healthy ones at least argue that “this” is enough. The argument is that, qualitatively, there is no difference between the state of mind that is permanently terminated and the state of mind that goes on forever. Eternity is in a moment.
Eternity is in a moment. I have never been comfortable with Pascal’s Wager. I think Pascal was a brilliant man, but possibly he was fooling himself a little with his reasoning. As Lewis says, we need to believe something because it is true. Paul says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” He was arguing against the idea that the Christ had not been raised from the dead, as some in his day were arguing.
Materialism is hardly a new philosophy. When Jesus walked the earth in His Incarnation, the Sadducees claimed there was no resurrection. Some people only believe in the ephemeral, passing “reality” of this life. When it comes to God and eternity, materialists are Missourians. I think some materialists are honest and really just can’t believe.
What I think many fail to realize is that they do see God.
Consider the world as it was Before Christ.
Consider the world today.
Despite many setbacks and failures, Christ’s promise of a coming kingdom is being fulfilled. God’s revealed moral law has made us better people. The concept of an orderly universe, arising from the mind of the Creator, moved men like
Jesus told His disciples that they would do “greater works” than He had done. He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, and multiplied bread. We often wonder how we would top that -- not realizing that science and technology are God’s gifts to us. Indeed, we speak and mountains move.
Although Christ laid the foundation for the kingdom by reconciling all men to God, He left it for us to advance the kingdom, to expand it. Though we have often misunderstood and gone down wrong roads, the mystic Body of Christ has advanced, almost in spite of ourselves for much of history. The kingdom will be established.
I meant to take another track, but I am out of time.
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