MEDITATION TIP —
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 28, 2024

“With such a large number of people, what good would it do?” (John 6:9)

　In front of five thousand people, five loaves of bread and two fish “would be of no use,” Andrew told Jesus. But despite the seeming futility, Jesus asks for the disciples’ cooperation. Because it is how much effort we put into seemingly useless things that determines our lives.

　Andrew’s words, “It will be of no avail,” are actually a daily test of our need for quick results. There is an expression, “readiness for immediate deployment.” For example, companies often ask universities to help students develop their expertise so that they will be ready to work immediately upon graduation. In the past, universities offered general education courses. However, many students often complained that they had to study general education courses that were an extension of their high school education, when they wanted to study a specialized field of study as soon as possible. In fact, many universities have discontinued the general education program.

　Until the 20th century, European universities, which had their origins in Greek and Roman times, taught grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music, and proficiency in these subjects was a requirement for the educated. Such studies are called liberal arts (liberal arts = studies that set people free), freeing people from all prejudices and restraints and allowing them to develop free thinking and ideas. Even today’s top universities in the U.S. offer four years of study in the liberal arts, and those who wish to further specialize in the liberal arts go to law school or business school. Therefore, top American universities teach “things that are not of immediate use.”

　Shinzo Koizumi, the former president of Keio University, said, “What is immediately useful becomes useless as soon as you go out into the world. What is not immediately useful is actually useful in the long run.” For example, even if you study cutting-edge science, it will become obsolete in four years because the world advances so quickly. Then you have to study it all over again. Therefore, the truly important education is the foundation that will support you over the course of your long life, even if it is not immediately useful. If you have a solid foundation, you will be able to think deeply about things and make comprehensive judgments on your own without getting upset no matter how fast the world moves.

　The most important aspect of education, then, is to know oneself. To do this, we must first learn about religion, that is, we must learn to properly pray. It is said that people have been praying since before the birth of religion. In other words, people knew that prayer has power. In Japanese, the word “prayer” is derived from “i-nori,” where “i” means life force and “nori” means declaration. Therefore, prayer is an act that can be called a declaration of life.

　“What good will it do?” If young people can learn to avoid this temptation while acquiring comprehensive judgment by studying religion, philosophy, literature, natural science, and art, they will find meaning and a chance to live life even in the many trials they will encounter in their long lives.

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Akabae)