People differ in the way they perceive the age in which we live; some see that it is devoid of crises or problems while others believe the world has become like Sodom and Gomorrah.  A third group contends that Christian life is possible regardless of the conditions of the era in accordance with God's blessed promise "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (Rom. 5: 20). 

 However, there are certainly some problems that  have  arisen as a result of changing circumstances, modern developments, and the new problems that have come to our society from the West where there are scientific and technological advances in a land that does not enjoy the spiritual heritage that the East has.  What concerns us only is how fast we can imitate the mistakes of the west.

We will briefly review five contemporary problems and God's Holy  Spiri  will  reveal  to us  how to face them.

1.   The Problem of Atheism
 It   is   one  of   the   most dangerous problems abroad.  The rapid scientific progress which has bewitched people has driven them, unnecessarily, to a kind of modern atheism.  They reject God and worship gods made by men such as: the materialistic theories of life and society, new trends of thought, or even man himself.  Twenty five years ago,  France,  which is as  we know a Christian nation, had a population of 45 million of which only 9 million were registered in their birth certificates as Christians.  The majority of these are alien to the Church because the strong current of modern  civilization  has  driven them far from the simplicity of faith.

Man was filled with admiration for himself when he was filled with wonder at scientific progress.  Waves of atheism and atheistic existential thoughts began to be   widespread   among  youth.    In actual fact, however, scientific progress is not the cause of atheism!  It is an individual problem that is built on man's adherence to certain deviant behavior that  disturbs the conscience; in order to deceive his conscience, the individual denies God's existence.

It is just an  attempt to get rid of God's voice which calls us to repentance!  There is not one real atheist, according to St. Augustine, for atheism is fabricated, and we are all believers.  We can only find rest in the   bosom  of  God!    In  the   very depths of our being, there is an inner voice that confirms God's existence and invites us to find complete rest in His arms.

The scientifically and economically developed societies give us the greatest proof of the importance of faith for the human spirit.  In spite of their progress, we see a steady increase in psychological diseases and in nervous disorders.  Here is spiritual and psychological emptiness which can only be filled by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!

The deep rooted secret behind the spiritual and psychological peace of the man is the existence of the Lord in our lives, for Christ is "our peace" (Eph. 2: 14).

2.  The Problem of Anxiety
 This is a characteristic of the twentieth century; the diseases of the age such as hypertension, heart disease, and ulcers have resulted from nervous and spiritual exhaustion, fear, and anxiety.  Modern man lives from childhood   in  perpetual  anxiety.  He prepares for his primary then secondary examinations, followed by his school leaving and his university examinations.  He also prepares for his future and for a family.  He considers emigration in order to achieve a better financial position, or he has the problem of being appointed to a job in a distant place.

Thus, we find that the life of man has become a series of anxieties and worrying matters.
What is the solution?

The only solution is faith, for fear is nothing but weak faith.  Our fathers lived on the minimum resources and their motto was, as the apostle says, "And having food and clothing, with that we will be content." (1 Tim. 6: 8).  I met a man who had emigrated and amassed a vast fortune, but who was afraid his fortune would be lost or stolen, or that he would become ill or die suddenly!  Fear is a terrible feeling that  destroys  the spirit.   Faith  in the Lord Jesus Christ is our only weapon against fear.

It is with faith that Joseph triumphed in the house of Potiphar, confident of God's presence with him in that house.  It is by faith that Daniel overcame in the lion's den.  By holding on to faith, Nehemiah built the walls of Jerusalem in bitter and dispiriting circumstances.

Constant and continual grumbling and complaining in front of our  children  will produce a  weak and fearful generation.  We need, today, to listen to the voice of the Lord, saying:  "It is I; be not afraid" (Mk. 6: 50).

Through faith we overcome anxiety and destroy fear, even if our faith in Christ is the cause of derision or mockery.  Our living faith is the practical response and the clear proof  of the rightness of the Christian way and of the need of the human spirit for it.

Our Church is rich in faith and it does not behoove us to lose this heritage through our weakness.  Would that we might hand this weapon down to our children so that they may stand in the evil day and wage the wars of the Lord.

3.  Deprivation from Tenderness
 It is said that the Egyptian people are sentimental and that the peoples of the world have started to lose this sentiment.  Although the mother is still a mother, she has begun    to   lose   her   feelings    of tenderness in the face of the pressures of modern society.

The new generation is so deprived of tenderness that educators advise the mother who has to use formula to feed her children to feed them while she holds them in her arms.  Emotional deprivation is the principle   cause  of   many   of    the problems of the age.

The young girl who is deprived of love and tenderness will respond   quickly to   any sign of it in young man who is far below her in social status, and will prefer him over the many material advantages in her father's house.  The home in which children are deprived of tenderness and love because of the parents' preoccupation with their work will instill in the children the seeds of deviance, rebellion and wrongdoing.

The home is the child's first school. The family discord that has torn most Christian families make it impossible to raise a healthy and peaceful youth.

We hand down faith to our children; as St. Paul said to his disciple, Timothy, "the faith .....which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" (2 Tim. 1: 5).  The family that meet everyday around the altar of family prayer and reads the words of the Holy Gospel, raises youth who have inner peace, spiritual fulfillment, and a love of sanctity.

Our pressing need at present   is   for  the  loving  Coptic family that teaches its children love and removes any selfishness in them.

4.  A Whirlwind Life
 Modern civilization has deprived the man of the twentieth century of appropriate leisure time in which he can be quiet alone to pray, read, and to forge relationships with the members of his family and with his friends in sound Christian love.

Man no  longer  has moments of  solitude   every  day,    and    no opportunities during the week to have time alone in which he can find with Christ the milestones along the way, to get rid of his weaknesses and sins, to be filled and satisfied with Christ, and to pray for others.

Twentieth century man rests the machine but will not take any rest himself!  He is always running with a strange and restless energy and an astonishing preoccupation in work and in obtaining material goods. Unfortunately,  he falls  out  of  sheer exhaustion.  He must calm down.  We need to create for ourselves the opportunities for quiet contemplation, self-examination, and fulfilling solitude.

5.  Moral Disintegration
 There is nothing new in the nature of a young man or a young woman, but what is new are the means of arousal.  How does each think of new ways of attracting the other's attention?  If the human being  lets   the   reins  of  his   life  go  and submits to lust, he becomes captive to it and a slave to its exhausting demands.

How greatly our youth need to avoid temptation?

In reality, there are not problems inherent in this age, but the real problem lies in the superficiality of the children of Christ.  If they sends their roots to the depths, they would be changed into a light to lead modern young people who are stumbling around in the dark.

END

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