September 2007 - Volume 12, Issue 2

Editorial – Eliminating Apathy

By Rev. Mark Connolly

Photo of a television setRecently there was a Nielsen rating (that is the organization that tells you how many people are watching a television program at a particular time) concerning the Democratic and Republican contenders for the office of the President. The ratings were extremely low indicating that these Presidential contenders that are speaking all over our country are almost being watched by no one in this beautiful country of ours.

Oh yes, all of us can say the campaign is so dragged out, politicians at times go on and on and say nothing that has any personal impact on our lives. We have known this from previous presidential campaigns. Their audience as regards a television audience gets very poor ratings.

Whatever is happening to our country because of politicians, there is something more serious happening to those who vote for those politicians. And what is happening is that our country is now becoming victimized by an epidemic of apathy. It seems that no one really cares. When you talk to people and try to have an intelligent conversation about what each contender is promising, modest people will tell you they are all going to plan for a wonderful healthcare system, they are going to lower our taxes, improve our educational system and they are going to build a greater security for the sake of the United States and these people will say these same promises have been made election after election so, why get excited?

It is a sad picture that is being presented to the American public, but even more sad when this kind of a presentation, election after election, engenders more apathy among potential voters. Anyone who does any counseling knows that when a husband and wife become apathetic or indifferent to each other, the marriage gets in trouble. Any one in the business world will tell you that if the employees of that organization become indifferent and apathetic to the purpose of that organization, that organization will suffer. No one doubts that apathy plays a tremendous role in the Church. People are not just that interested in religion. You find more people today look upon religion as something nice to have, but not as necessary as their parents thought it was.

All of these feelings are not going to be for the betterment of our country. Each one has an obligation to vote. Each one has an obligation to protect the environment. Each one has an obligation to conserve gas and lessen our dependency on oil from the Middle East. Each one of us has an obligation to hand down patriotic values to our children. We cannot just sit back and wait for others to do it. Each one of us in the language of Christ must render to Caesar the things that Caesar's and render to God the things that are God's. That is what Christ taught during his public ministry. His whole mission was to make this world a better world than he found it even if it meant the cost of His life. We have thousands of young men and women who are in Iraq today who are trying to leave our country a better country than they found it. They are defending us, they are protecting us, they are trying to help each one of us have a greater future. If for no other reason we have to appreciate what they have done for us and never let apathy become a way of life in our everyday living. Yes, we are not asked to go to Iraq. We are not asked to make many sacrifices for our country. Apathy can never become a way of life if our country is to prosper and grow and develop.

Christ made it very, very clear when he spoke about apathy centuries ago. He said, "I'd rather have you hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm, I will vomit you out of my mouth". Those were strong words spoken by Christ toward the people who were becoming apathetic to the world and the times in which Christ lived. We hope and pray that our country will suffer no more nor our families any more because of apathy.

The way to eliminate apathy is to start with you. Doing your best, thinking your best, praying your best for the sake of our country, our Church and our families. Apathy can never become a way of life if we are going to survive as a country and as a family.