“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Benjamin Franklin
One cannot but notice a growing sense of concern and even anxiety about the future. Are we in for serious disruptions of the social order, and should we be doing something to prepare? The fact is that the last several months have taught a lesson: things we thought could not happen can happen—surprisingly quickly.
This lesson should not be without fruit in our lives.
But what is the appropriate response? This is one of those things we have to try our best to get right, knowing that it is akin to walking a tightrope—from which you can fall off either way. Allow me to try to sketch out how one might think about this.
Let us call our goal here ‘proper preparedness,’ meaning by this both the right interior disposition toward the future and taking fitting steps to be ‘ready’ for it. There are two obvious pitfalls here. A person could be over-concerned and fearful or under-concerned and nonchalant, and correspondingly one could over-prepare or under-prepare. Part of the challenge here is that to a person at either extreme the person at the mean—i.e., who has the best approach—will usually himself appear to be at an extreme, namely the one opposite the person in question.
So we have the overly fearful convinced that the properly prepared are still too nonchalant; and the over-confident and under prepared are convinced the properly prepared are alarmist and even a menace.
To characterize concretely the properly prepared person is a difficult task. He will have an understanding of root principles of human life and vocation on the one hand, along with an alert attention to the concrete conditions and signs of the times on the other. Correspondingly, he will have a sober and prudent response, one rooted in hope for the future along with realistic foresight and planning.
It is easier to sketch this approach in the abstract than to determine just how to do it. But it is incumbent on all of us—the more so to the extent that we have responsibility for others, such as particularly the parents in a household—to make every effort to find that golden mean of ‘proper preparedness.’
It will not be easy to avoid the fear and fretting that undermine the peace and joy of daily life, while also not just moving forward, unwilling to read and respond to the times with vigilance and planning.
It seems to me that sober conversations between husband and wife are in order. To examine certain rather bracing ‘what ifs’ at this point is not to indulge in fear mongering. Rather it should be the obvious fruit of seeing what is right before our eyes.
Our children are hearing some alarming things, and they feel the concern in us and other adults. Open and age-appropriate discussions are fitting, giving actual words to the attitude and approach that Mama and Daddy have. Yes, certain things will always be beyond our control and so will especially call upon our faith. This itself is a gift, that we have occasion to remind ourselves and our loved ones of ultimate things.
Yet such faith can and should go hand in hand with astute foresight and concrete action steps, for instance right down to making lists and obtaining an appropriate store of goods and tools.
Our understanding of ‘proper preparedness’ and of ‘success’ and ‘failure’ in challenging times should be rich and complex. Just as human nature itself, these are matters of soul and body, and matters to be pursued as a community, with faith and courage and open eyes.
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Image: Albert Anker (1831-1910), Switzerland.
Husband, father, and professor of Philosophy. LifeCraft springs from one conviction: there is an ancient wisdom about how to live the good life in our homes, with our families; and it is worth our time to hearken to it. Let’s rediscover it together. Learn more.
Read and reread Psalm 91! Take it to heart. Make it your own. Believe just as Christ said in quoting Psalm 31 on the cross! Our God is a mighty God – The King of Love My Shepherd Is!!
Thank you, Paul. The image of a shepherd is extremely powerful and appropriate isn’t it?
Seems curious that a catholic can give advise on how to deal with current problems and never mention Fatima ,the rosary or the scapular,first Saturday’s and the fact that in the end after the consecration is finally done her immaculate heart will triumph .
I listened to a podcast recently where someone in Rome, actually one of the men on the Pontifical Academy for Life was with our Holy Father Pope Francis during a supposedly stormy synod. Pope Francis was perfectly calm and peaceful throughout. This man said to him, “Holy Father, you seem so peaceful. Aren’t you in the least bit concerned about all the this and that theories, the Q this and that, etc etc. . . . “ and the Holy Father looked at him, took his arm and said, “You don’t pray very much do you?” And the man from the Pontifical Academy for life was just amazed.
This incredible podcast is on YouTube at Peter’s Field Hospital and the title is ‘A Heart Conquered by Christ: Rodrigo Guerra on Pope Francis’
What it has taught me, what your article as well as our Holy Father has taught me, is that no matter what the storm, no matter what happens, HE is with us and He will and does work great wonders for us.
His Vicar is guiding us through this if only we will listen to him. He has taught us many things since the beginning of the pandemic. And through all of the other turmoil as well. Christ our Savior is indeed building His Church through him.
Thank you for this.
God bless you
And thank you very much, Mary. Prayer really does make all the difference, doesn’t it?
Yes John, all the difference in the world.
Thank you for this post, John, which brought me great relief and a clearer understanding of present circumstances. I found your discussion of the reactions of folks at either extreme to the person in the middle especially incisive and helpful. Beyond that, just seeing someone foster an open discussion of the present reality gave me great psychological uplift. It seems sometimes that everywhere I turn I find people full of suspicion, ready to denounce their opponents. I wish I could say I myself have wholly avoided that temptation. I’m not sure I have.
I hope your own approach becomes a model for others. I will try to make it my own.
Andrew, Thank you very much for this comment. I am humbled and grateful that my words have been helpful to you. I’m also interested to hear that our experiences have been similar–that is a consolation to me.
I pledge to strive with you to grow in the right interior dispositions and external actions.
John, Thank you for sharing this wisdom. I struggle with this daily. I appreciate that you aren’t telling us what to do, only pointing out this important reality and encouraging us to assess where we are, and what we ought to strive for.
Jonathan, Thank you. You have indeed understood my intention here. We are in this together, and I like to remind myself that asking the right questions is to be half way to the right answer.
In our attempt to look for guidance during troubled times such as these, it is only proper to seek contact with those who seem to evince the gift of wisdom. Historically, it was older people with the benefit of experience who were singled out as the wise among us. In addition, the Wisdom Books of Scripture play no small part either.
Deacon Peitler, Thank you very much–you offer two complementary and very fitting ways to seek guidance!