Last Updated on September 20, 2024 by web manager
PART 1
All societies have norms and customs having to do with celebrations, activities, speech, dress, and countless other things. These norms and customs are what unite societies and allow the people who live in them to make certain assumptions about what to expect from others. For example, we Americans sing the National Anthem before sporting events. We reserve parking spots close to entrances for those who are handicapped. We say please and thank you as a way of showing respect and gratitude.
Those who do not observe societal norms are those who in whole or in part are either not members of that particular society, do not identify with that society, or have rejected the society in which they live. Obviously, norms and customs change over time. Just one example concerns the use of cell phones in public places. Because cell phones are still relatively new, we are still figuring out when their use in public is appropriate and when it is not.
That said, when large numbers of people reject social norms and customs or when these norms and customs are not passed on, societies begin to break down and new societies form in their place. We can see this happening in our country as traditional norms for civility and speech are being rejected.
Crude, vulgar and uncivil speech is being heard everywhere these days. I was at Walmart the other day, and I saw a truck with a bumper sticker that said F… Joe Biden. People also have flags flying in their yards with the same language on them. Teens are using this word freely in public places. On TV, on the radio and on the Internet there are lots of “hells” “damns” also people using God’s name in vain. As use of this vulgar language becomes normative, it will invariable become acceptable creep into how we all speak as well. This does not appeal to me, if this does not appeal to you, I would suggest that we be intentional about how we speak. Let’s do our best to be polite, civil respectful of others. Doing so is one small way of supporting our society culture, making the world a better place living out our Catholic faith by showing love of our neighbors.
PART 2
As I mentioned last week, all societies have norms and customs having to do with celebrations, activities, speech, dress, and countless other things. These norms and customs are what unite societies and allow us to make certain assumptions about what to expect from others. I also mentioned that those who do not observe societal norms are those who in whole or in part are either not members of that particular society, do not identify with that society, or have rejected that society. People who do not observe societal norms cause disorder, and they also contribute to the breakdown of societies. They make life more difficult for all concerned because others no longer know what to expect or how to behave. This is now happening in our society as we abandon our Christian foundations.
Here is one example of what I mean. Most people understand that you have to wait your turn. So, whether we are checking out at the store or boarding a plane or waiting to have our ticket punched to get into a sporting event or concert, we wait until those ahead of us are served. However, if someone believes they don’t have to wait for their turn and butts ahead, it creates confusion and anger. If more people do the same or mob the counter as happens on “black Friday” there is chaos and people can and do get hurt.
In Christian societies, most societal norms are based on Christ’s teachings to love God and neighbor. They enshrine the idea of respect and consideration for others. As our society continues to shed its Christian faith, our societal norms are also undermined in the process. While we cannot stop this disintegration (since we as faithful Catholics are now a small minority in America), we can at least be intentional about how we behave and treat others, always doing so with Christian charity. By acting in this way, we can support our society and culture. By living out our Catholic faith, by showing love of neighbor, we can make the world a better place one person at a time.
PART 3
As I mentioned previously, all societies have norms and customs having to do with celebrations, activities, speech, dress, and countless other things. These norms and customs are what unite societies, and they allow us to make certain assumptions about what to expect from others. When societal norms break down, so too does society, and that’s because we no longer know what to expect from others nor how we should behave. I have already mentioned two simple things we can do to support our culture and society.
The first is to use civil speech and not use vulgar language. The other is to wait your turn. Don’t push ahead of others. Don’t cut in front of others while driving and so on. Here is something else we can do. Respect the Lord’s day. Sunday has always been the day on which Christians give honor, praise and worship to almighty God. It is also the day we rest from our worldly labors and concerns. That said, the new pagans treat Sunday as simply one more day like all the rest. They work on Sunday. They shop on Sunday. They schedule meetings and sporting events on Sunday. Their disregard for Sunday creates conflicts for us as we try to fulfill our duties towards God and our obligation to keep the Lord’s day holy.
We are often placed in positions where we have to choose between our duties towards God and our involvement in human affairs. Let us be intentional here and always put our duties towards God before the affairs of man. If you belong to organizations or clubs that schedule meetings on Sunday, object. If sports are scheduled for your children on Sunday, object and if that fails, choose not to participate. Time with God and family is more important. If your teenager is scheduled to work on Sunday, make sure he or she has time for Mass first. Also, teens are not essential workers, and so, they really don’t need to work on Sunday. If you are hunting or fishing with friends, make sure you have time for Mass. If you are traveling or on a tour, ask them to leave time for Mass on Sunday. Avoid shopping on Sunday. All of these are things we can do to keep the Lord’s day holy and preserve some sense of a Christian culture.
