Crab mentality is determined by the behavior of crabs placed in a bucket. While any one of the crabs could escape cause the bucket is open, its efforts are undermined by others , ensuring the group’s collective demise!This is compared to human behavior where members of a group will make attempts to reduce the self confidence or enthusiasm of any member who achieves success or aims towards a goal.
Todays Gospel is Jesus explaining the crab mentality of the Pharisees
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
If I cannot have it , so cant you!
Past 10 months of moving to a new place have been a massive revelation to me about my faith. I struggled to keep at my daily prayer and rosary. With no other catholic in sight and just other denomination christians, whose church events were in another local language (Tamil) , I had a very hard time trying to focus on being in my faith like before! I had to search for a catholic church with English Mass and above all a timing i could attend along with my professional duties… I did find one and I was adjusting to it.
And the lockdown was announced, I was sent into a confusion not at work but even the fact that Easter would be spent with people who could not even help me understand my dejection at being unable to attend the midnight vigil and have a hearty meal at home!! The journey of the online masses started. I would wake up struggling to pay attention , distracted by everything, I tried to keep my abstaining goals of Lent but all my catholic friends suggested other wise.
I was often even asked why I locked myself in on sundays when I could join my floormates for a chat and chai ( tea) at teh tearrace! I tried explaining and it wasnt easy. Some of the atheists I know said I was being a fool. But I tried clinging on .. until I was exasperated .. over the few months , I went to complete confusion about faith and got used to watching mass on youtube in 2x and completing my daily chores. It became more of something I had to do, rather then want to do. And whoever I asked seemed to be doing just the same making me feel good about myself (then).
I finally realised this is not me nor the faith I was living in. I reached out to a friend and on his behest I joined a Christian youth seminar few weeks ago and I realised I was not the only youth stuck in the bucket of losing my faith with the din and confusion of social media and modernity. We have 300+ attendees from across the country who are in need of a weekly dose of the enthusiasm to crush the crabby hands of satan!!
Let us not just get stuck in a rut or be complacent about our faith and the knowledge the scripture has revealed to us!!
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
Let us not pull down anyone who needs guidance and help those searching their way out!!
PRAYER!:
Dearest Lord, I apologise and ask your forgiveness if my faith has shaken up with the ideologies of those around me. help me Lord with the intercession of your Mother to find my way into your arms! slowly and steadily! one day at a time!!
AMEN.
