Reflections

Those who struggle for a better world, especially in the present state of society, often feel isolated (and sometimes, it must be admitted, we are isolated through our own doing) and discouraged by a lack of spectacular results.  I would like to offer a few words of encouragement in the face of the difficulties that are inevitably encountered when trying to build a juster and more human world amid the lies and selfishness that are held up for praise and admiration by the powers that dominate today’s world.

     It is obvious to anyone without substantial sums of money (who isn’t rich) that just to survive in the “collapse of capitalism” environment of modern America has become more and more difficult.  Yet even those of us who consider ourselves “simple livers” would be considered “millionaires” by the majority of the human race, if they had a chance to confront us.  Despite the struggle for our daily bread, few of us can claim that all of our time is taken up with just surviving.  But those who make an extra effort outside of the daily grind to contribute to the struggle against injustice have certainly at one time or another felt discouragement, and most of us have also been tempted to blame others for our failures.

     It is easy for our rejection of an unjust society to become a hatred of all who are not of the same mind as ourselves.  This hatred may be born of a frustration with the injustice and evil we see all around us, a frustration that taps into our own weakness and resentments.  The poet Ernesto Cardenal wrote, “Often I find the real dictator is within myself.  The atom bomb is a reality of our souls.”  In the same vein, his friend Thomas Merton wrote, “For only love—which means humility—can exorcise the fear that is at the root of all war.” 

     In addition to the “seeds of destruction” which exist within us and must be resisted, the other great enemies of anyone working for a better world are discouragement and “burn out.”  Anyone who has tried to make a difference knows how elusive positive results can be.  Whether through our own fault or because of circumstances beyond our control, we are seldom able to change things overnight.  In the society that we belong to, where a person’s worth is judged by “success” or “failure” (read measurable accomplishments or the lack of them—the measure usually being money), it is easy to get discouraged as things seem to go from bad to worse.  And even those who have accomplished something often feel burn out, too.  However, in my experience, those who have been most faithful to the struggle in good times and bad are those who can look beyond immediate results—those with a basic belief in the goodness of people, or with spiritual or religious values, or who believe in the possibility of a better society in the future.  To struggle when conditions are most discouraging is the true measure of commitment.  And I believe that the struggle is never in vain.  When our efforts seem to bring little in the way of results, when the hearts of those around us seem to be made of stone, to continue to hope is a victory in itself.  We must never forget that individuals can make a difference, and that together we can make justice and peace a reality in the world.