Koan #36: Changing the World

It is the sign of a well-intentioned, but naive and unreflective mind, of those that state that they wish to “change the world.” For truly, “changing” the world is by no means a difficult thing, nor is it necessarily desired, as many evil men have indeed changed it. What is difficult, by contrast, is to change one‘s self—with God’s grace—both consciously and specifically from a proclivity towards evil to an intense revulsion towards it, thus striving for a moral perfection and holiness not often seen. And in doing this simple, yet certainly not easy thing, the world would be immeasurably changed in a manner both worthy and deserving of change.

Koan #17: Standing Tall in the Public Square

It is often told to Believers that their views deserve neither attention nor consideration within the public square, as such views and opinions stem only from subjective religious sentiments that do not deserve deliberation in the realm of “reason” and “rationality”. Yet the Christian, and more specifically the Catholic faith, is no less objective, respectable and valuable than any secular perspective, for is not the Catholic worldview based on historical facts, philosophical arguments, logical formulations, legitimate ethical outlooks, deep traditions, civilizational importance, cultural clout and social significance? Indeed it is, making it as worthy of discourse and consideration—if not more so—than any other social, cultural, political or secular worldview. Let those of the Faith, therefore, remember this fact, and never permit themselves to be pushed from secular discourse or from the public square by such a disingenuous, thoughtless and carelessly developed argument as this one, which may indeed be met when interacting with the world at large.