Lessons from the Playground

By Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr.

AS A CHILD, I looked forward to recess at my Catholic school. There, on the playground, I was introduced to new games by teachers and other children. When a new game was introduced, the first step for all who wanted to play was to learn the rules of the game. In other words, the “givens.” Without a common recognition of the basic laws and rules which defined the game, it was impossible to play. Everyone had to accept the givens or there was no play.

The same is true for all of life. There must be some givens — accepted truths — or there is chaos, disintegration and even war, within countries and within families.

Much concern is expressed in the Church and society today about how divided, polarized and inhospitable things have become. Often, the proposed solution for this distressing situation is that we try to be more civil toward others, especially those with differing viewpoints. This civility must include patient listening. This is certainly good advice in any community and is one fruit of the recent exercise in “synodality” which many of us just experienced in the diocese. But something else is required for true communion and peace: acceptance of the givens — that there are real truths that exist which express reality, the “game” of life, if you will.

At the root of much of today’s polarization is a lack of consensus on many of the givens that had been assumed until recently. This is especially true in reference to what it means to be a human being; what is sometimes referred to as anthropology.

Until recently, Western civilization has assumed what might be called a Christian anthropology as a given, revealed by God: that we are created by God, “in his image,” who defines our nature, gives it meaning and bestows it upon us as a gift. That human beings are created as one of two sexes, male or female, and this complementarity of the sexes is ordered toward self-gift in a communion of persons, in marriage,

which forms the family. The total self-gift of husband and wife, signified in their bodily communion, is also ordered toward the generation of new life. This divine design reflects two givens that are amazing and wonderful — that we are both made in God’s image and that marriage, and celibate self-giving, image the life-giving communion of the Holy Trinity. Indeed, one of the most fundamental givens is that in our very existence, we are each given by God. This is the basis for the fundamental human dignity of every person, and had been assumed as a given, even by those who had no religious belief. These givens shaped the Western worldview for nearly two millennia. They were reflected in law, art and culture.

However, a radical new paradigm has been introduced: namely, that we are not the receivers of a divine Giver, but in our total autonomy, we are each free to define our own reality. In the new paradigm, there are few givens, and our bodies are more or less like a blank canvas to express what the mind determines. This is but a further unfolding of the “sexual revolution.” This has profound implications for marriage, family, and society. When everyone defines their own reality, it is impossible to find common ground, harmony, and peace.

It is important to acknowledge that there is no small number of people who experience challenges and difficulties in life around what it means to be male or female, or merely human for that matter. Our human condition is frail, and we are all in need of acceptance, compassion, patience and understanding. But, ultimately, it helps no one to deny that there are givens, truths that describe reality as God made it and as it can be known by common sense and human reason.

The challenge before Christians is to not surrender to the chaos, even if that means being labeled a heretic before the new paradigm. Pope Francis has spoken often about the struggle and duty that is ours to repair and heal in a society that is more atomized, harsh and unforgiving. The surest way to do that is to find true common ground without which no society can survive. Ultimately, we find the most important givens about God and what it means to be human in the person of Jesus Christ, the God-man. As members of the Church, Catholics have a duty to the world to proclaim the wondrous Gift of Jesus Christ who is our peace, and all the givens which we have received from God as gifts.

COMPASSIONATE RESOURCES in our diocese

EnCourage ministry: kcsjfamily.org/courage-encourage

Truth and Love ministry: truthandlove.com

Diocesan Marriage and Family Life Office: 816.714.2371