LEAVING ISOLATION BEHIND
Loneliness has become one of the most serious plagues of our society. We construct bridges and highways in order to be in communication with each other more quickly. We send up satellites in order to transmit all kinds of waves between the continents. The cell phone and communication by internet is unfolding. But many people are all the more alone.
Human contact has grown cold in many sectors of our society. People scarcely feel themselves responsible for others. Each one lives enclosed in their own world. The gift of true friendship isn’t easy.
There are those who have lost the capacity to sincerely welcome and love anyone, and they don’t feel themselves understood or loved by anyone. They relate every day with many people, but in reality they don’t encounter anyone. They live with the heart blocked. Closed to God and closed to others.
According to the Gospel story, in order to free the deaf mute from his sickness, Jesus asks him for his collaboration: «Be opened». Isn’t this the invitation that we also need to hear today in order to recover our heart from isolation?
Undoubtedly the causes of this lack of communication are very diverse, but frequently they have their root in our sin. When we act selfishly we distance ourselves from others, we separate ourselves from life and we enclose ourselves within. Wanting to defend our own liberty and independence, we fall into the danger of living all the more alone.
Undoubtedly it’s good to learn new techniques of communication, but we need to learn above all to open ourselves to friendship and true love. Selfishness, distrust, and not living in solidarity are also today what most separates us and isolates us from one another. That’s why the conversion to love is the indispensable path to escape loneliness. Whoever opens self to love the Father and our brothers and sister isn’t alone. That person lives in solidarity.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
