We long for unity – to achieve things – we all want to be one, happy, and pursue the good. – ultimately, we all long for God – seeking him- Yet if one reads the news, that is not what one hears about – instead, it is strife, separation, confusion – lack of understanding – evil – Division – division based on economic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or language. Yet no one thinks these divisions are good – we long for some sort of unity amid the diversity – many efforts from different organizations and institutions go through to overcome divisions – seeking to build solutions to the problem – yet when has it worked?
The promise of the internet was that it would bring people together – access to more information than one could ever imagine – connections with people on social media across the globe – the possibility of understanding other cultures. Opening conversations and understandings And language divides? Why technology can solve that – there is google translate facilitates communication – if you want to learn a language, there is an app for that – one called Babbel
Yet has any of this succeeded? In fact, all that is found is more division – the news about social media is not about connections and understanding -but division, isolation, loneliness – the mental health epidemic of young people due to social media. If you do not believe me – just read the comments section.
And finding more information? All the information lets find what one wants to hear – avoiding the truth is easier than ever – there is always a prophet- sage – professor somewhere on the internet who will tell one what one wants to hear. Different news sources, different schools, websites, apps – different tribes – unable to talk with each other –they all might claim to speak English – but they might as well be speaking different languages- everything one tribe says seems as just babble to the others –
How did we get here? It turns out we have been here for a while – For there is the same problem found in the first book of scripture – the story of the tower of Babel (heard last night at the Vigil Mass). While Scholars might argue the historicity of the event – it is written in the literary style of mythology, and no one who was there wrote it down – however, their desire is not too different from the aspirations of the internet - “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.” Man tries to make unity and achieve his ends using the best technology available – but that attempt scatters man all over the earth – Division – strife – it is there from the beginning – and technological attempts to solve it have failed from the start. – Technology might be different, but the problem is the same.
Division comes from original sin – and original sin cannot be solved by technology – it was pride that led the fall – pride and hubris in technology can not solve the problem – building a giant tower could not solve it – great walls and castles can not solve it – the printing press could not solve it – the internet cannot solve it. No human administrator, academic, judge, or politician can solve it.
Yet original sin does not have the final say – death does not have the final say – division and strife does not have the final say – Christ defeated sin and death by his death and resurrection – and he has opened the door to heaven by his ascension – leading us to God, where happiness and unity are found – and, now that he is with the father – he sends us help - He sends us the paraclete – the advocate – the third person of the Trinity – the Holy Spirit.
And receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we see the opposite of Babel – at Babel, human pride leads to division and different languages – at in humility, the apostles receive the Holy Spirt, and (as will be heard at Mass tomorrow morning) – “We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans, and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” – The languages still exist – yet in that diversity, there is unity – that unity that technology fails to provide is found at Pentecost. The damage of Babel is undone - The answer to division is not technology but is found through Christ – and in the Holy Spirit whom he sends– indwelling within us. Unity – through our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit – sent at Pentecost
That was true at Pentecost, but it is also still true today. The internet and technology? It might be great – YouTube has good videos – and access to articles and academic research – there is a massive wealth of information which can be helpful – even social media is not intrinsically evil – but it does not solve division and strife – thinking it does just causes more – the solution requires turning to Christ – and the Holy Spirit whom he sends – looking to God – where our true desires are – and unity – even in the midst of diversity, unity is found. And so it is that we pray that prayer to the Holy Spirit many of us know so well. Praying that our Babel might be overcome with his Pentecost.
Come Holy Spirit, Fill the hearts of your faithful – and kindle in them the fire of your love – send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth – O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord – Amen.