Pride and Arrogance....

Last evening a friend of many of us, Dr George Ani, a young professor of ENT passed away following a cycling accident. He has 2 young daughters. Annie his wife the 2 daughters will have to face life for the next many years without their loved one with them.

This news came at a time, when I have been actively following events which are unfolding in India and USA. India, where the arrogance and pride of power is reaching a level, which brings back memories of previous such events in history, both in our nation and other nations. Words being spoken by elected members of our parliament, has been arrogant and at times even abusive. Power has been used to suppress alternative ideologies and thinking. And one gets the feeling that things are not going to be easy for us as a nation. At the same time, with the election fever in the so called “most powerful nation” the words used by many of the candidates portray again arrogance and pride. Some words are even abusive. And if some of those candidates whose attitudes to other nations and people are dangerous win the election, one is not sure what the future of that nation and world at large would be.

Pride and arrogance seems to be theme of the day.  A theologian Niebuhr writes - "Humanity is afflicted with excessive pride and a self-preoccupation that distorts moral judgement." And this is more when people come together as “powers that be” – the corporate powers – power of a group.  Niebuhr writes - "Individual men may be moral in the sense that they are able to consider interests other than their own. . .. But all these achievements are more difficult, if not impossible, for human societies and social groups. In every human group there is less reason to guide and to check impulse, less capacity for self-transcendence, less ability to comprehend the needs of others and therefore more unrestrained egoism than the individuals, who compose the group, reveal in their personal relationships.”

But to be faced with the death of a young friend at this point of time, was a learning experience. What I was led to reading today was - “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.”

If this is the truth of human life and existence, where is the role for pride and arrogance? The so called powers that be, will be here today, will be gone tomorrow. And their places will acknowledge them no longer…..

So what should my response be….“My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.” At the same time, walking faithfully the walk of faith which I am called to walk….