Paradox, Parables and the Art of Pondering

A paradox is a seeming contradiction. It seems contradictory to say, you must die in order to live. But in the area of faith it hides an eternal truth — there is life after death.

A parable is an image in nature like sowing a seed on the ground and harvesting that symbolizes God’s word planted in a human mind and heart that produces good fruit in terms of good behavior.

The art of pondering refers to the power of the mind to think and of the heart to understand. Literally it means thinking hard and weighty thoughts (Latin pondus = heavy weight).

The following are modern paradoxes and shortened parables that should make us ponder on them seriously. They make sense if taken to heart. The humor is subtle and good. They echo Gospel truths and kingdom values. The author is the late George Carlin, an American comedian and social critic in the 1970s and 1980s. Here are some.

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but short tempers, wider Freeways but narrower viewpoints.”

“We spend more, but have less, we buy more but enjoy less.”

“We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.”

“We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.”

Ironically, modern Philippine society is not a thinking and reflective society in general. They swallow ideas easily and mouth them loudly without thinking. That is why they voted politicians into office who lack reason and common sense, and sense of direction in governance.