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A Dictatorship of Relativism - Affecting Mothers?
"... Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be 'tossed here and there, carried by every wind of doctrine', seems the only attitude that [our society thinks] can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires. We however, have a different goal: The Son of God, the true man. He is the measure of true humanism."
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, homily at the Mass "Pro Eligendo Romano Pontiface", St Peter's Archbasilica, 18th April 2005.
posted by Holly at 2:22 PM
1 Comments:
What do these words of Pope Benedict have to do with me, a mother in my own little home in my own little village or town? In such a little spot in the world? Surely this has so little to do with my daily life?
Not true.
Relativism - the lack of absolutes, language games, and shifting moral stands - has everything to do with motherhood. The family stands at the forefront of the battleground with relativism.
Not only are all aspects of motherhood under attack - from contraception to abortion to marriage. But the very definitions of mother are obscured.
As Rev. Robert C. Morlino, BIshop of Madison, USA, noted at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC on 7 April 2006 - which type of "mother" are we looking at? The genetic mother of the in vitro fertilization process? The gestational mother of the surrogate mother process? Or the mother who raises the child? In our society, which mother is mother? "What" is mother?
In our own daily lives, how often do we live according to the absolutes we know we should live by? Are we praying? Justly giving to God our time and worship as is owed him (not to mention, our love and desires to be with him?) Are we attending to the formation of our children's souls? Are we doing all in our power to love our husbands, to forgive, to practice holy sexual expression? Are we keeping our homes clean and tidy as a sign of our fidelity to the mission God has entrusted to us?
Or are we acting in a relativistic way? Are we praying when we feel like it? Are we neglecting the formation of our children because it feels happier if we leave them alone to watch TV? Are our homes a mess because we dont' feel like housework today? Do our husbands feel unneeded, unloved, and unappreciated because we are intent upon other things?
Our vocation is our mission, primary before other things - including career or personal preference. It is not our whims and selfish desires we should follow - nor should we drift around on the winds of "I don't feel like it today." Let's do what God asks - with dignity, courage, perseverance. Absolutely!
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