Scripture for Mass
1 Kings 3:5-6a, 7-12
Psalm 119(118): 57, 72. 76-77. 127-128. 129-130.
Response: 97a
Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 13:44-52
In recent years, we have become accustomed to using the internet to search for maps and music, and to participate in online courses and livestream events. Moreover, with the rapid advance of artificial intelligence, communications technology will soon become capable not only of responding with greater speed to our requests, but – based on what we have previously viewed and liked – will also become proficient in tailoring its responses to our individual needs and tastes. As a result, we will seldom be exposed to anything that surprises or disturbs us, while our vulnerabilities will be subtlety exploited even more for consumer purposes. All of this is already happening online but will accelerate rapidly during the coming years.
As a consequence of these technological advances and our eagerness to go along with them, we humans are in danger of losing precious human qualities. We no longer value our own memory because we can readily store and access all kinds of information on our phone. Our capacity to examine the world around us continues to diminish because of our growing reliance on pre-packaged, online views and analyses. We are losing contact with the complexity of the world because we are being fed only those kinds of material that we like and enjoy. And since we are constantly distracted by online communication, we no longer enjoy quiet time to engage with questions concerning the meaning of life, to ponder the mystery of the universe, or to engage with the God of surprises.
O Divine Mystery, grant us the wisdom to reject instant answers, simple solutions and quick fixes.
Teach us to recognise and treasure the personal gifts you have given us.
Open our hearts to the joyful adventure of searching long and hard and to the thrill of discovery.
Grant us a spirit of awe and wonder as we reflect in silence on our own lives, the world around us, and your presence beckoning us in every moment.
May we remain open to being surprised by you in moments of gladness and sadness, in times of failure and success.
We ask this through Jesus who is the Answer.
Amen.
Fr. Tim Mulroy
