So, very regretfully, in our day there exists such a dearth of good leaders in the realm of politics and governance. Humanity starves for genuine individuals who are mentally, morally and spiritually sound and fit for purpose. Here one refers to honest politicians dedicated to the virtues of love, peace and justice and who tirelessly strive towards this aim. Gone are the likes of Mikhail Gorbachev, George W. H. Bush (Snr), Nelson Mandela, the saintly Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and yes, more recently, Angela Merkel.
In our day, libertinism, debauchery and corruption have taken centre stage and become the order of the day. In this respect, Western society is truly in bad shape. Who will redeem the contemporary ‘everything goes’ mentality? Very disappointingly, we even have leaders who profess to be fervent Catholics and yet push forward such evil practices as abortion, now even enshrining the right to kill in the nation’s constitution. A humanity that kills its babies in the womb has definitely lost its soul. What will it take to switch off this dreadful killing machine? Unless humanity recovers its God-given, good and warm heart, the prospect is terrifying.
We have lost the distinction between right and wrong, virtue and evil. It is what makes the practice of all sorts of wrongdoings legally, or otherwise, so widespread. The atmosphere is becoming increasingly brutal and chaotic. How does one reclaim proper awareness? Who will re-educate humanity? Who will re-civilise it? Apparently, it has lost its rudder. There seems to be no consciousness of the urgent need to turn in the right and safe direction. The global awful situation presents itself as truly overwhelming. Steering out of the treacherous rapids sweeping all towards the edge presents itself as a very daunting, if not also an impossible mission. But no, providentially, it is not!
From the outset, with great peace of mind and assurance, one has to confirm that there is a solution, thankfully so, but certainly the one and only. This comes in the person of Jesus Christ, who guides us with divine wisdom and teaching. One just cannot be more direct and specific than this. No one and nothing else will give back to society its sanity. Whether one is a believer or not makes no difference. The medicine and treatment that provides the cure remains Jesus, Love incarnate. There is no other education that can retrieve and restore humanity’s equilibrium and morality. Of course, by all means one is free to resort to a different solution, but I am a convinced Christian. Following is a quote from the monthly periodical “Bible Alive”; here it goes: ‘In 1941 Winston Churchill discussed the task of rebuilding the world in the aftermath of World War 2. He said, “We could find nothing better than Christian ethics on which to build and the more closely we followed the Sermon on the Mount, the more likely we were to succeed in our endeavours.” For Churchill and for many others, the Sermon on the Mount is ‘the last great word in ethics.’
The human never seems to learn from past mistakes. Never as now is rebuilding rendered most urgent! Humanity must turn back to God, whom it has pushed aside and re-invite him lovingly in its midst, re-elect him as its guide and inspiration. Only God can give peace, security, and serenity to the human heart. Our very own old Christian Europe is in dire straits and fast becoming more secular, thus cutting itself from its healthy roots, to its sure detriment, unless of course it re-embraces its divine Spouse. With today's easy and efficient means of communication, the world has become a global village. Everywhere is all the same, contamination is widespread and running rampant. All the sour ingredients are mixed in the one big pot of bitter stew. Our tiny Malta that we know so very well is a spoonful of this awful diet.
Locally, lack of God, permissibility and pornography are giving rise to a sick and angry people, at times uncontrollably and violently so, and the cause of dreadful behaviour. When not too long ago, a group of delinquent youths ganged upon an innocent young lad and beat him up brutally to a pulp, for no reason at all, our Prime Minister lamented that it is no longer safe to walk up Republic Street in Valletta. Of course, this is far from a one-off savage behaviour. It is no longer safe to walk anywhere.
Innocent and kind Paulina Dembska and Pelin Kaya weren't murdered the brutal and insane way they were, down Republic Street! Whether we care to admit it or not, there are so many of us who, with God absent in their life, the devil has taken over, and they are becoming atrociously wild and losing control of the self. Evil causes our complete disconnection from God and life becomes such a frightening experience. Besides, frustration has also taken root and spread. There exists so much double-crossing, so many types of rage, and so many people living on edge, that every day there are homicides just waiting to happen.
The failure of Education is also a matter of grave concern. In our day, the quality of not just a few elements emerging from university is truly worrying, to say the least. One can no longer assume that these are the mentally, morally and intellectual elite and persons of trust, far from it. For instance, a couple of placards (there were more), that were paraded during noisy carcades of freshly graduated medics and lawyers read: “Licence to Touch” and “You win a few, you lose a few, but you get paid for them all.” What is happening to our morality and integrity?
Unfortunately, fresh university graduates with questionable values and mentality seem to be on the increase. These are, and will be, among the pillars supporting society, that presently is already not just a little shaky, revealing what should be alarming fissures in its foundations. Finally, it is critical to address the widespread selfishness and greed that keep gathering momentum and that in effect are causing the spectre of poverty to threaten the modest pockets of the middle class. If this sector were to collapse, society will be doomed, as we very well say in Maltese, “qegħdin naqtgħu rasna b’idejna”.
This contribution portrays the ugly side of the overall situation, grave issues that at all cost must be addressed. But of course, there is a positive side to the picture as well. Thankfully, a lot of good still holds humanity mercifully together; goodness operating peacefully and with hardly any notice. One positive fact worth mentioning is the growing consciousness towards the care of the environment. Hopefully this will accelerate soon, because as yet so very little has been accomplished in order to effect any improvement. Time is precious and is really pressing. We have no time to lose.
In such limited space, one may hint at just one other plus for humanity. Providentially, our secularized and aching times have produced a truly gorgeous rose amidst the thorns of our neglected world. The news of Carlo Acutis' canonization is a dazzling ray of hope. During his very short life, passing away at the tender age of 15, he made use of modern technology to spread so much good worldwide! Also, one must not omit the fact that a finally united Europe is such a wonderful blessing. It is the best guarantee for this accumulation of great nations to be free from war internally. Oh, the longing for a united world! Yes, of course there exist too many difficult obstacles to surmount, such as diverse and uncomplimentary cultures, creeds, mentalities and other opposing fragments. But we already have the United Nations. This and a people of goodwill must work with determined dedication to save ourselves and our fragile dear home, we call Earth, it is all we've got.
One is full of hope that locally, the good that still exists will shift the balance in society's favour and ultimately and painstakingly help restore it to a semblance of decency, but not without society’s strong effort and goodwill. Of course, truth will prevail, good will triumph over evil. There will come a day when God will crush Satan and his formidable hellish workings, that are the cause of so much misery and pain, once and for all.
Lastly, the face of the earth is so horribly scarred by so many wars that are going on, and by so much violent and heartless extremism. The need to entreat the good Lord, for world peace has never been more urgent. Truly, we do live in a world in which peace is becoming increasingly rare, but hope springs eternal. May God give rise to genuine leaders who would steer the world in the direction of peace, and this not just a humanity free from dreadful armed combat, but peace to each individual that only the purity of mind and heart can give. One needs to familiarise the self with the Word of God in Sacred Scripture and allow it to penetrate like soft rain on the sometimes hardened ‘soil’ of one’s heart. So step on the brakes, put life on hold, sit down and lean serenely back. With none and nothing else but Jesus on your mind, listen to Him speak to you in the inner depths of your being. As the psalmist exhorts: (Psalm 46, verse 10) “Be still and know that I am God”.
Bro. Leli Gatt is a Salesian of Don Bosco.