I was standing at a rest stop on I-95 south of Washington, watching six lanes of traffic zooming at 70 miles per hour. When I asked my wife what people who lived 100 or 200 years ago would think if they could see this, she suggested people living 50 years ago would be overwhelmed. We take for granted so many of the benefits and problems that have come with the tremendous mobility technology has brought us.
That mobility allowed me to travel from the Outer Banks, North Carolina to Gettysburg. Pennsylvania in little more than half a day. It opens up all sorts of possibilities for bringing the world together, but also many difficulties.
For starters, technology creates an environment that accommodates its needs and pretty much controls our lives. Once you decide to go with the automobile, you need a wide network of highways. That leads to gas stations and fast food restaurants. The oil industry becomes critical as well as garages, the auto industry, tire stores, and on and on.
After investing so much money in this system, it is well nigh impossible to consider other alternatives, such as mass transit. In fact, it is difficult even to fund the necessary updates to this system. All six lanes were moving stop and go over half of my trip home, because politicians refuse to adequately fund improvements.
Of course, this has meant many challenges for the traditional church that has always depended on the familiarity that goes with neighborhoods. Once, people had a common belief system that developed as they grew up in one denomination among life-long friends. The parish church provided moral and ethical support and direction.
Now members are constantly moving in and out. Our own families are spread throughout the world. Those who have joined churches often leave denominational loyalty behind as they seek a congregation that meets their needs.
Often when people celebrate “life passages,” they return home for the ceremonies. Of course, this strains our theology. Most of those who promise to support the baptized infants will never see them again. Most of those who are confirmed leave the community a few years later. Those at marriages gather from all over for a day and then go their various ways. Mourners at a funeral do the same, often leaving the widow or widower to suffer alone. Promises of community support are pretty hollow, as those who make them will not be around to keep their word.
All this means we cannot operate as isolated local neighborhood churches any more. We have to see in new ways how catholic our community is. People from all over the world now depend on us to offer Word and Sacrament when they are among us for a day, a few weeks, or a couple of years. And that must include taking on ourselves promises made by Christians in other places.
