Factor #2: Pragmatism

In our day and age, the second primary factor that militates against the essential acts of Christ-centered faith, prayer, reflection, and contemplation is: pragmatism.

I continue to draw from the book The Shattered Lantern by Ronald Rolheiser. The English word “pragmatism” comes from the Greek pragma, meaning “business.” In the western mind, pragmatism is connected to concepts like: efficiency, practicality, progress, and sensibleness. It only follows from this that pragmatism is synonymous with much of western life.

As a philosophy, pragmatism is a way of life that assesses the truth of a matter in its practical efficacy or application. What is true is what works. The test for truth is directly related to whether an idea has some concrete utility or practical benefit. “Things are good if they work, and what works is good. The ideals of pragmatism lie at the very heart of the Western mind, undergird our technological society, are deeply enshrined in our educational systems, and are evident in our impatience with anything (or anybody) that is not practical, useful, and efficient” (The Shattered Lantern, 36).

From the time of childhood we are told to climb the ladder of success, gain approval, be the best, be efficient, and ultimately to dominate. And even worse, the status of being part of the so-called “elite” is the goal in much of our western culture. Too many forms of media and the example of parents and leaders reinforce this message throughout our adolescent years. All of us are deeply affected by this thoroughly pragmatic worldview.

This is hugely problematic. Ultimately it is cancer to the soul. As Jean Vanier notes, “Elitism is the sickness of us all. We all want to be on the winning team…The important thing is to become conscious of those forces in us and to work at being liberated from them and to discover that the worst enemy is inside our own hearts not outside!” A pragmatic worldview wreaks havoc on our lives and on the world. Our lives become completely out of joint when we live by the principles “what’s good is what works” and “you are only good if you work” and “you are only as good as the work you do.” When doing counts for everything and being counts for nothing, our lives become a chaotic mess. The true priorities of worship, relationships, family, and self-giving love go out the window. And as a society, we come to undervalue children and the weak, we institutionalize people with physical disabilities or mental illness, and we discard and disregard the elderly (or anyone who is an "unproductive" member of society).

In contrast, God calls us to be last. Jesus says, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Our being in God must always be our primary focus and point of reflection. Who we are in Jesus Christ is paramount. Regardless of our worldly status, our identity in Christ is all that matters. In Christ we are loved, accepted, adopted as God’s children, forgiven, redeemed, renewed by God’s Spirit, and recreated as God’s new humanity. What we do (or do not do!) should flow from the truly human identity we derive from our relationship with God, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Further, Jesus teaches us to look beyond our ego in order to address our insecurities and our fear of being devalued. In the face of our culture’s pragmatic, progress driven, and elitist mentality, Jesus says, “Climb down the ladder of success and meet me at the bottom. There you will discover the meaning of truth and goodness, which transcends your petty notions of efficiency and practicality. Realize that life is messy, and that I have come to clean you up, set you free, and set you on the right path. Acknowledge your brokenness, your poverty of spirit, your complete dependence on God for all things. Become like a child. Trust Me. Follow God. Then go, serve the poor, enjoy fellowship with the estranged, have compassion on the sick, and share people’s pain. Only then can you experience true fellowship and communion with God and neighbor. Only then will you inherit the kingdom of heaven!”