WORDS FROM FATHER YOHANES: Quantified Lives & the Peace We Cannot Buy

By Father Yohanes Akoit

We are witnessing the rise of a new phenomenon concerning human identity. The world and its environment are shaping our life into a mechanistic view of the human person. In other words, every aspect of our life becomes calculable. We begin to treat ourselves as a series of numbers or a bundle of symptoms that can be measured and predicted by the human mind. Often, the probability of our calculations and predictions proves accurate. What we plan frequently comes to fulfillment. Therefore, we claim that every aspect of life can be quantified. We calculate the cost, and then we pursue it. This reliance on predictive methods convinces us that we are the makers of our own history. Each one of us becomes the owner, and in a sense, a “small god” over our life.

Then, taking the role of a small god, we believe we have the power to bring our dreams to fulfillment. In comparison with the true God, we also possess our own tools to make our predictions possible. If the true God creates everything through His word, then we rely on our faculties; knowledge, skills, and finances. This comparison is not equal, but it illustrates that we depend on certain means to carry out our dreams. God simply speaks, and His word brings things into existence. Nature obeys Him and becomes what He commands. For us, however, everything we plan becomes possible only when we have the capital or financial resources. Money becomes the tool we use to achieve our aspirations. No one can deny the role of money in fulfilling human desires. We all acknowledge that money is one of the most important and effective instruments for executing our plans. Without it, only a few people can claim success, and they remain the exception rather than the rule.

However, our euphoria about our own power ends when we face boundary situations. When we encounter sickness or death, our eyes are opened. We come to realize that our calculations and predictions, based on human thought, have limits. It is true that we can buy many things with money, but not the essential meanings behind them. The wisdom of our age reminds us of this truth:

We can buy food, but not appetite;

We can buy a bed, but not sleep;

We can buy a house, but not a home;

We can buy a watch, but not time;

We can choose the best hospital and buy medicine,

but not health;

We can study at the best university,

but not gain wisdom;

We can buy insurance, but not safety;

And so on.

What we truly need is peace in life. Even when finances are lacking, a person who has peace in heart and mind can endure many other needs. Eating simple food with gratitude brings satisfaction and joy. The same is true with sickness. Everyone will experience illness, but facing sickness with calmness and a spirit of acceptance brings peace. That inner disposition becomes a kind of medicine, a healing power from within. Peace of heart influences every aspect of life. Therefore, we must cultivate inner peace, for it helps us balance our struggles. In response to this deep human need for peace, Jesus offers us His peace. After His resurrection, one of the gifts Jesus gave to His disciples was peace. He said, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19-31). Jesus understands our need for peace in our hearts. Therefore, we ask Him to grant us His peace. We believe that His peace will help us overcome and transcend our boundary situations.

Father Yohanes Akoit is pastor of St. Julian and St. Anthony Catholic churches in Kentucky.