The phrase jumped out at me and set off alarm bells:
“The growing burden on this sandwich generation weakens careers and quality of life…”
The Soulful Catholic’s quiet perusal of the Sunday-morning edition of the Wall Street Journal is generally not fraught with consternation. And yet this seemingly innocuous turn of phrase had her taking screenshots for further reflection.
The article in question was examining the challenges faced by the sandwich generation, referring to those adults charged with the care of both young children and elderly parents or grandparents.
As someone who navigated that season of life not so long ago, I sympathize with the struggle. But a burden? A drag on my career? A lower quality of life?
Uh, no. Definitely no. Where would we be without our parents, the ones who gave us life? They and our children are treasures more precious than any worldly gain, but the way this Wall Street Journal article tells it, these loved ones are burdens who threaten our quality of life and careers. Just when they need us the most, it seems, there are other, more pressing considerations.
What will become a nation that sacrifices its children and its elders on the altar of Mammon? And a zeitgeist that encourages it? It’s as though we’ve been lulled into this un-Christian attitude little by little, like the unwitting frog that finds itself in a pot of hot water gradually rising to a lethal boil. He’s trapped but doesn’t know it — yet.
Such is the insidious nature of secularism. We swim in it these days, and if we’re not careful, it begins to affect our worldview, our outlook. Think of it as the microplastics of the mind: Invisible and yet slowly and inexorably wreaking havoc.
Children and the elderly are not burdens. They are gifts. This is what Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church teach us (Matt. 19:14 and Deut. 5:16, among others, and CCC 2378). But if we don’t stay anchored in that faith, if we don’t immerse ourselves in it, we’re going to be overwhelmed by the prevailing winds.
And the prevailing winds of our day include utilitarianism: People, institutions and morals are valuable only insofar as they are useful to me, since I (ahem) am the center of the universe. It’s an outlook that fits neatly with both secularism (the view that we don’t need God or religion) and a watered-down, sentimental Christian faith that doesn’t challenge us to embrace sacrifice.
Jesus makes it abundantly clear that if we accept His yoke, He will strengthen us and empower us: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls (Matt. 11: 28-29).”
On our own, things might seem impossible. With Him, all things are possible.
We must commit ourselves to being rooted deeply in God’s Word and the sacraments if we’re going to rise above the spirit of the age. Now more than ever, we need to be countercultural. In a world that views people as burdens who hamper our pursuit of more money and good times, let us embrace the Cross.
And if you care about God’s creation, consider committing yourself to carrying a reusable water bottle and using less plastic. Yes, it’s inconvenient but so is the Gospel. That’s the point. We need to de-throne convenience and utilitarianism and make Christ King of our hearts. Approximately 50 billion water bottles are sold in America each year. When are we going to realize we are poisoning the oceans, the land and our bodies with this stuff?
Be countercultural. Read your Bible. Go to Confession regularly. Go to Mass. Love your enemies. Carry the cross entrusted to you with love and in the power of the Spirit.
And while you’re at it, carry a reusable, non-plastic, water bottle. Let’s take this journey one step at a time along the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Heaven.
