Vicar's Message - July
Dearly beloved in Christ,
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,
so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” (Hebrews: 11:3)
What comes to our mind when you think of the word “faith”?
For some, faith is a belief system- the knowledge of certain abstract
propositional “truths” which tell them who God is, which eventually leads to
the knowledge of what God does. (St.John:11:23, 24, 27). For others, faith
is “trusting” God for the impossible- for example, miraculous healing and
the like. They get to know who God is by experiencing what God does. (St.
John: 11:22). Faith is more than knowing who God is and what he can do. It
must also include faithfulness. Thus faith is a reflection of the way we
live on a daily basis. God’s goodness is not conditional on our behavior.
This is why some times we think that God is inconsistent (St. John: 11:37).
We expect God to behave in a cause and effect manner. But God is sovereign
and acts independently of anything we might think or imagine.
Technology is the art and science of replication. A machine is reliable
when it repeats the same action under the same condition until it breaks
down. A reliable machine is predictable, for this very reason we find it
easier to depend on a machine than the “unpredictable” God. Technology is
also addictive in the sense that our life can become dependent on it. We
find it difficult or even impossible to live without it. Sometimes our life
can be controlled by technology.
Studies of stress among health professionals reveal that the fear of being
accused and sued for negligence, forces them to practice “defensive medicine
“. Sometimes this involves ordering of additional tests, which is intended
to protect the medical team rather than to help the patient.
Technology without faith practices can lead to arrogance, desperation,
and disillusionment. Compassion and openness helps us to bring the balance.
Remember that, we read in the event of the death of Lazarus, “Jesus
wept”(St.John:11:35).
The challenge before us is,
1. Is our faith and technology mutually exclusive? In what way we can make
use of faith along with technology in our day today life, mission and
ministry?
2. Are we able to feel the pain of others when we are under the power of
technology?
3. How can we remain faithful to God and to others in the use of technology?
May the Almighty God help us to grow in faith and be a blessing to
others in the days to come.
