Questions and Answers

I think that the problem with today’s Western culture is that we are offered so many things in life that are immediately satisfying. We lack nothing. So Jesus says: “It’s so hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (read, hard to understand my words). Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When you lack nothing, it is hard to remain spiritually hungry. We have a quick answer for every question. We try to find answers for all the questions that come to our mind. Our Church has become an answering machine; you give her questions and she’s ready with an answer.

But funnily enough Jesus asked more questions than he answered them. He asked 307 questions in all four Gospels. Shouldn’t this be a pattern to imitate? He asks questions with little clear cut answers so that we continue to search for a possible answer. That’s the method of Jesus. He would want you to look for an answer and will not give you one himself. Besides, he was asked 183 questions in the Gospels. And he answered only 3 directly. The other 180 questions, he either ignored them, or kept silent or in return asked another question. Answering questions does not satisfy your faith or help you grow in it. It will rather discourage you from continuing to keep on searching.

Besides, in most of his teaching Jesus is not very clear. You would not know exactly what he is saying. His statements were always so open to misinterpretation. He would surely be called a relativist if he were to speak like that today in a church. He was only clear about one thing: how good and reliable God is.

Most of us were taught religion by answering a set of questions. And if you know the answers, then you are a good Christian. It was like that when we were preparing for communion and confirmation. And it was not so much different when I was studying for priesthood. Such a method will not invite you to journey on a path of on-going discernment. It will rather give you the impression that you have already arrived to your destination. And this will make you arrogant and falsely self-assured. Answers will make you look professional in this technical world of ours, but they will not help you much into your spiritual journey. Such a journey requires discernment, prayer, listening and searching.

Remember, it’s always the ego that demands satisfaction. Buddhists call it the “hungry ghost.” And since satisfaction is so important, most people prefer satisfying untruth to unsatisfying truth. This ego ghost is ready to be satisfied with anything. In Maltese we say, any water will quench your thirst. And even some "satisfying false truth" can quench the thirst of the ego.

Let questions arise, but do not be too quick to satisfy your ego with any answer. Most questions may never be answered so easily, and that’s ok.