Headlines

One

Why the Appeal of Headlines?

What is the appeal of the news? Why do we want so much to know about what’s happening in other parts of the world, or in areas over which we have practically no control whatsoever? Related to that question is this one: why do we seem to have such a relish for bad news why do we love dirty laundry?

War, disease, natural disaster, political chaos, and intrigue, this is the stuff headlines are made of. But the question is why? Why are we so interested in what doesn’t concern us, and why are we so taken with ugly, tragic, violent, scandalous headlines? And is there anything Jesus has to say on the subject?

Two

How Christ Dealt with Headlines

As it happens, there was one occasion where Jesus gave us an example of how to handle two headlines. The first of the headlines had to do with a group of Galileans whom Pilate had just slaughtered. When Jesus heard the news, He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered thus? I tell you, No: but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Then Jesus moves on to a second headline, a grisly disaster story, “Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No: but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

This is maybe the only time when Christ gives us any news commentary, any public punditry. What does He teach us about how to see the news?

Three

Trying to Figure Out the Ultimate Course of Things

Probably the main motivation for watching the news is that we want to “stay on top” of things, be well-informed, and be responsible. We want to understand the social currents of our time. We want to try to get a handle on the way things are going. Essentially, we want to try and figure out why things happen the way they do.

We want to know why some succeed and others fail, why one group wins and another loses. We want to flatter ourselves that we know the driving forces of things. And that if people just asked us, we could explain and give the best counsel for how to run the world. Jesus says, very clearly, you have no idea. 

Why did these Galileans get killed and not those Galileans? Don’t act like you know. You don’t. Why did these people get crushed by a falling tower and not those people? Don’t act like you know. You don’t. The destinies of peoples and political parties are not in your hands, and it has not been revealed to you, no matter how many commentaries you read or listen to.

The fate of presidents and nations is in God’s hands. It’s known to God. What’s in your hands is your own spiritual destiny. And that knowledge has been revealed to you. 

Four

Focusing on Other People’s Problems instead of Your Own

There is an all-consuming hunger for bad news, for dirty laundry which the media will happily indulge. It makes sense that bad news would have a lot of appeal. After all, if we focus on other people’s problems, about which we can do nothing, then it’s a very convenient way of distracting ourselves from our own problems, which we are obliged to do something about.

Here again, the way Christ deals with the two gruesome headlines should be a major wake-up call for all of us. He says, don’t you worry about trying to figure out why the Galileans got slaughtered, or why that building fell on those people. What you should be worried about is the fact that if you don’t repent of your sins, if you don’t change your life, if you don’t persevere in clinging to Christ, who is your only salvation—If you don’t do that, then I don’t care how awful the stuff you read in the headlines is, it will be worse for you on the last day.

Five

Reading the News from the Perspective of Eternity

We will all read or watch or hear about the news at some level. But a genuine Christian take on the news will most often, and most forcefully, remind us not to dwell too much on other people’s problems. A genuine Christian take will remind us that God is in control of the world. We are responsible for changing what we are responsible for, what we can control, namely ourselves. 

Jesus responded to the headline news by saying, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

The fundamental response Jesus is looking for is conversion, to turn away from sin, turn back to God, and grow in virtue and goodness. The path to conversion is very simple: Receive Jesus as often as you can in the Eucharist, but the Mass and the Eucharist by itself is not enough. We also need daily meditation on the Word of God with a daily resolution.

A resolution is to remember and practice some idea from Jesus each day. For example, in Philippians 4 Paul says, “Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.” A good resolution would be to practice that.

Those who are committed to daily meditation on the Word of God and a daily resolution grow in virtue and goodness. Those who don’t, grow in vice, and to grow in vice is to become more vicious. I see this all the time when I take hundreds of people on pilgrimage. Those who have the habit of daily meditation and a daily resolution are joyful, and virtuous and they serve others. Those who don’t, even if they go to Mass regularly, as they grow older they get worse not better. They become complainers, racked with vices and usually only think of themselves. The proof is in the behavior and I observe it, I see it. 

So, what’s the takeaway? If you want to be happy and at peace, don’t watch the news, instead, watch Jesus in Daily Meditation on the Word of God and then pick something simple and concrete from your meditation to try to put into practice that day. If you do that everyday. you’ll be at peace and happy and a lot better to live with!