People of our time struggle to find balance in life. Young people, but not only, are constantly searching for projects that will inspire them and give them purpose. On Feb. 28, Jesuit Father Michael Rossmann, well-known for his one-minute social media homilies, visited The Lay Centre and spoke about how the inspirations of the Holy Spirit are the structure and foundation for those who believe in Christ.
Father Rossman, who presided over the Eucharistic celebration, reminded community members that all of us need a framework in life in order to flourish. However, in a world overflowing with information and instability, it is often difficult to have a sound and healthy foundation. We are all searching for love and freedom, but the world around us does not always provide these things, he said.
Taking inspiration from the readings of the day, Father Rossmann mentioned the apparent contradiction between the book of Genesis, in which Adam and Eve were told not to eat the forbidden fruit, and the passage of the Gospel of Mark (7:14-23), in which Jesus says that all food is clean – it is from within the human person that comes all evil. Jesus also says that blindly following the letter of the Law does not lead us to God. Even if order and structure help one to search for meaning in life, a sense of who one is, it is only a change of the heart in Christ that will guide his followers to meaningful and peaceful freedom.
Over dinner, Father Rossmann spoke about his one-minute homily project, which he began to post on his social media in 2017. It is hard to share a thoughtful message online while being informal and approachable, he said, even more so as social media conventions tend to promote the production and dissemination of superficial and “viral” content.
Nevertheless, he prepares his reflections on the Gospel with care and makes it as personable as possible, he said.
During the pandemic, he took the time to synthesise the ideas from his videos and publish them in a book: “The Freedom of Missing Out.” The book departs from the premise that the anxiety of choosing a course of action will limit other options. He focuses on “the fear of missing out,” which is prevalent in the minds of young people today, and suggests that one should feel free to leave behind some apparently “good” choices in order to make other “great” ones. One of them is to pursue a truthful life in Christ.
Contributed: Filip Veber
