There are certain phrases I hear or read frequently that annoy me. One phrase is this: “in our troubled times.” It seems to imply that other times in the past were not troubled or, at least, not as troubled as our times are today. Other phrases are “in our polarized times,” “our violent times,” “our uncertain times,” or “our unprecedented times.” I am not denying the polarization, violence, and uncertainty of our times. And I even acknowledge that in some ways our times are unprecedented. But we do ourselves (and our Christian faith) a grave disservice if we think we are the only human beings who ever lived during “troubled times.” That’s why I believe a basic familiarity with history is essential for us to get a much needed perspective on our current times.

Take polarization. If we view Ken Burns’ incredible documentary on the American Revolution, we will learn how deeply divided the colonists were on declaring their independence from England. Neighbors argued with or even fought against neighbors over this issue. Violence and uncertainty? Read first-hand accounts of the Civil War and you will see unimaginable violence and terrifying uncertainty. And wasn’t the Great Depression “unprecedented” for the people (such as my grandparents and parents) who lived during those times? And what about World War II? Most historians describe those times in words such as these: “World War II was the largest, deadliest, and most destructive conflict in human history.” It took the lives of 60-80 million people–most of them civilians! Virtually every human being on earth was somehow impacted by the global devastation of that war–whether you lived on an island in the Pacific (think Pearl Harbor) or in Timbuktu in West Africa (I verified this fact!) or Willoughby Hills, Ohio–where I was born during the final year of the war. Upon birth I was issued a ration book which I still have. Uncle Sam was inviting me to join the war effort! My weight was listed as 7 lbs. 3 ozs. and my height was 20 inches!

If we think our times are unprecedented, we might be tempted to throw a “pity party,” for ourselves, moaning, “Poor us! No one ever had it so bad!” Or we might try to escape from our awful world. Several “escape hatches” are readily available. One is denial: “Things aren’t as bad as they seem.” Well, unfortunately, SOME things ARE as bad as they seem–or maybe even WORSE. Or we can try to escape the pains of our times through addictions to such things as alcohol, other drugs, gambling, the internet, food, shopping, gaming, social media, and work. Ironically, even religion can be used as an escape hatch: “I don’t care about what’s happening on this earth. I’m thinking only about getting to heaven!”

To escape from the real world is not only impossible, it is tragic. Why? Because, our faith teaches us that human life is a gift from God. And we believe (as I’ve said before) that “REALITY is God’s home address.” That means God is with us in our times. Even more, God is alive and active in whatever times or circumstances we find ourselves. But God is with us not simply to console or comfort us. God is with us urging us to get involved with the troubles of our day. How? By calling us to ever greater love, goodness, justice, and care for one another in our real world. To illustrate what this involvement looks like, Jesus himself gave us a few concrete examples in Matthew 25:31-46: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the ill, visit the imprisoned.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man who became deeply involved in one of the primary “troubles” of his day, a trouble that continues to plague us: the injustices spawned by deep-seated racisim. King once said this about Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. When the Levite and priest saw the wounded man by the side of the road, they asked themselves, “If I stop and help this man, what will happen to me?” But the Samaritan reversed the question. He asked, “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?” King labeled the Samaritan’s decision and subsequent actions as “unselfish sacrificial loving.” It is the kind of loving Jesus showed throughout his life–especially on the cross.

Sometimes this “unselfish sacrificial loving” is dramatic and newsworthy: think Mary saying “yes” to God at the Annunciation… the early Christians being slain in the Coloseum, and countless other unselfish loving people such as Francis of Assisi, Abraham Lincoln, Mother Cabrini, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero, Mother Teresa. But often this sacrifical loving is less dramatic–yet no less real:

The young couple welcoming a new baby into the world–despite our “troubling times”… Parents or grandparents who are doing the daily hard work of raising children… Teachers enthusiastically devoted to their students… Medical professionals caring for the ill among us… Scientists in their labs doing vital yet often tedious research to improve the quality of life…. The woman who just donated a total of 20 gallons of blood… Pastors responding generously to the many needs of their parishioners… Married couples remaining faithful to each other “in sickness and in health”… Picketers peacefully demonstrating for their neighbors who are being treated unjustly… Retirees volunteering for years with Meals on Wheels… Lawyers doing pro-bono work for the poor of their local community… And the teenage boy who mows his elderly neighbor’s lawn in summer and shovels her sidewalk in winter–for free. (She repays him with cookies and brownies!)

So rather than lamenting the times in which we find ourselves, let us ask ourselves, “Where can I help? How can I help? Whom can I help?” And also ask, “If I do not stop and help this man, this woman, this child, these people, what will happen to them? And consequently, what will happen to us?” I agree with the words of Bishop Michael Curry who spoke at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle in 2018. In essence he said,”Only unselfish, sacrifical love has the power to heal us and change our world for the better.”

For reflection:

Has your knowledge of history ever given you a better perspective on a current issue or event? In what way?

Do you ever get overwhelmed or depressed by the bad news you encounter frequently? If so, what are some of the ways you prevent yourself from becoming totally hopeless?

Did you ever feel “the call” to help someone in need, a call you felt you couldn’t resist? Could you share that experience with us?

Can you think of any other examples of “unselfish sacrifical love”–whether dramatic or small–that you have seen or been involved in? Could you share your example(s) with us below?

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P.S. Wishing you all a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, the official beginning of summer! May we take a few moments to pray for all our service members throughout our history who gave the ultimate gift of their lives for our precious blessings of freedom, peace, and justice for all. And may we ask our Beloved God for the gift of unselfish, sacrificial love in ourselves to ensure these same blessings for our future generations.

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I have two videos for you today. The first is a song by Jesse Manibusan entitled “Hold on to Love.” The second is a short, short story in cartoon form called “Helping Others Is the Key to Happiness.”

Song: “Hold on to Love” – 4:21 mins.

Cartoon short story: – 2:09 mins. Notice the main character’s hands (and eyes) in the film… and when is the first time you see him smile? And what do his hands do in the rest of the film?

I invite you to respond below to the reflection, the questions, the photos, or the videos. I’m always eager to hear from you!