FAITH MATTERS
Seek ancient wisdom to address modern turmoil
"Rather than being outdated and out-of-touch, Christ’s teachings — if properly followed — can provide a meaningful remedy to the age of rage," writes Bishop Bergie.
September 21, 2025
By Bishop Gerard Bergie
Contributing Columnist
Some people say we are living in an age of rage. This opinion is based on the fact that there is growing anger and hostility all around us. There seems to be far less respect for the human person and for life itself. We live in challenging times; however, this is not something new.
St. Paul lived in a culture that was experiencing high levels of conflict and many of the same difficulties that we face today.
He offered sound advice to the Christians of Colossae: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).
This brief passage is packed with a lot of wisdom. If more people believed this and lived lives of integrity, the world would be a much better place.
To embrace virtue and reject vice is not easy. It does not come easily, and it requires a degree of effort. As St. Paul states, we must make the effort to love, “which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Love is the key to transforming lives.
Since the recent election of Pope Leo, we have heard him quote St. Augustine in several talks and homilies. The reason for this is that Pope Leo is a member of a religious order that follows the Rule of St. Augustine. He admires the writings of this great saint. Augustine is a man who found love and it changed him forever.
One of the more famous works of St. Augustine is his Confessions. This is an autobiography, and it speaks of his conversion to becoming a follower of Christ. He famously wrote, “Late have I loved you, beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you.” These words express Augustine’s regret at not finding God earlier in his life. He was searching for love and fulfilment in worldly things and this only led to emptiness. When he discovered God, Augustine found beauty, truth and love.
What strikes me most is the phrase, “beauty ever ancient, ever new.” There are some today who would say that Christianity is regressive and contributes to division and hatred in the world. They contend that a modern pluralistic society is far better off when it removes the shackles of an archaic religion that is out of date and out of touch with the world.
From my own experience, I believe that Jesus’ teachings are “ever ancient and ever new.” This means that what he said and taught 2,000 years ago is just as meaningful today. The problem is that some think what is ancient can never be practical, so it is ignored.
G.K. Chesterton is known as a prolific writer, apologist and journalist. There is a famous line attributed to him regarding Christianity in which he states, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” His argument is not with the teachings of Christ; but that they have rarely been put into practice.
We may be living in an “age of rage”; however, it does not have to remain that way. If we practise what Jesus taught, then perhaps what is considered ancient can provide new ways of addressing an angry world.