I’ve watched Bruce Willis’ film Surrogates. Since his Die Hard in 1988, I have been a fan. I’ve seen through the thinning and graying of his hair. So I was kind of shock to see a young and perfectly fit Bruce Willis as Agent Greer in the early scenes of Surrogates. But the movie unfolded and revealed that what I was seeing was Greer’s surrogate—a mechanical representative of the real person. The movie explores a future in which humans live in isolation while only communicating with their fellow man through robots that serve as social surrogates and are better-looking versions of their human counterparts. In other words, this is a future when mechanical interaction substitutes the excitement of getting up close and personal.
This seems farfetched at first glance. But a keen observation of how we interact today would reveal such substituting as already happening. Not with surrogates though.
In a restaurant, I’ve watched four fellows seated at one table. For the most part, they were silent because each was busy sending text messages. Isn’t it alarming that they have one another yet they prefer to ignore one another’s presence in favor of a mechanical interaction with somebody out there who, most probably, ignores the company of his own friends too?
Another phenomenon that reveals this is the ‘facebook addiction.’ It is not uncommon now to see people spending most of their time interacting through these internet social networks. A mother recounted to me her bewilderment at her observation that her children dislike playing with other kids. They hole up in their rooms and interact instead with cyber friends via the internet.
Once, a mixture of amusement and feeling of alarm overtook me when someone asked me if I would do counseling by texting! Imagine! I was even advised to enroll to ‘unli-texting.’
Today’s gospel recounts the Visitation—Mary visits Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-45). The event is charged with so much joy. Even the infant in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy at Mary’s greeting. It is in this event too that Mary herself utters her Magnificat, saying: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit exults in God my savior.” (This is read in the succeeding verses though).
I would like to submit that today’s gospel reading is a good reminder that while technology increases our efficiency in communications, among other things, it cannot substitute the joy brought by the old fashion personal presence and encounter with real people—as in the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth.
In the light of the visitation, the joy generated by such a personal encounter may be understood in two levels: as the joy of caring and as the joy of celebration.
The Joy of Caring. Mary travelled (for four days, according to scholars) in order to take care of her cousin Elizabeth who in her old age was about to give birth to John. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth displays the deep and loving concern that bonds those whom God calls. In demonstrating this loving concern, joy is a natural product. There is joy in serving and caring for one another even though and precisely because this requires personal self-sacrifice and self-giving. I think, this is what is threatened when people settle with the convenient mechanical interaction.
The Joy of Celebration. The people of Israel has been longing for the Messiah to liberate them. There is so much suffering and oppression. Their only hope is the coming of the Messiah. Mary and Elizabeth know what’s going on. They both carry in their womb the fulfillment of the hope of Israel. Their joy then is the joy of celebration. Mary’s visit is meant, more than just to serve her cousin, to celebrate with her the fulfillment of their hope and to share with each other their faith in God’s faithfulness.
The joy of caring and of celebration of hope and faith is at the heart of such a meaningful personal human encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. This is what is lacking in an easy, “safe,” and convenient mechanical interaction of today’s technological era.
I am realizing how little time I have spent visiting families. To care and to celebrate with them. I would have brought more joy to people’s lives and to my own, had I been more up close and personal with people.
How about you? Would you prefer the easy, convenient, mechanical interaction to a real and personal encounter with people and friends? Well, since we all desire true joy in life, it is good to listen to this advent message of joy: the joy of caring and the joy of celebration which can only be had by not being afraid of brushing elbows with real people and getting involve in and identifying with their hopes and prayers.
May our Christmas reunions, with family or with old and new friends, be our own way of doing the visitation. May it all generate much joy as we come together and care for one another and celebrate God’s faithfulness in our lives. Amen.
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