Civility Week 20, May 13, 2012

Keep Calm  and  Carry On

I have been seeing this poster everywhere.

During World War II, this little phrase became a propaganda poster produced by the British government to raise moral of the public in the event of an invasion.

It was reissued in 2000 in both England and the United States in the effort to calm people about the economy and financial markets ups and downs.

I am reviving it as a statement to all Catholics and Christians but my version looks like this: 

I’m sure you noticed the difference right away. As we are facing increasing adversity in our religious freedoms, our value systems and morality, we must not give into fear.

When we are being pushed to freak out, worry, become anxious about the state of the world,

when everyone else is losing their heads, throwing up their arms either in fear or disgust

we need to remember this poster.

    It worked for England when they were on the brink of invasion by the Germans. They didn’t flee in terror, they did not give up the fight. During the bombing raids they calmly took to the shelters, found safe havens for their children and remained calm.They did not give in. They continued to live their lives, go about their business and rebuild. They won the war and carried on, staying civil the entire time.

Our lesson, despite the world trying to tell us what to do, how to think or act, is to:

You may ask what does this have to do with being civil? It has everything to do with keeping our civility. If we give into fear we become anxious, angry, short tempered. If we keep calm always looking to the Lord to calm our fears, to take care of us, we retain our civility towards one another.  We can answer questions, approach problems, discuss solutions and remain civil.

By looking outside our own selves, praying for a solution, relying on God to solve our problems and not try to do it all ourselves, we find ourselves remaining calm.

So try it this week, Keep Calm, Carry On. Keep your eyes on the Lord. He has always been there for us, in good times and bad, in wars and famine, in peace and prosperity. It’s us who forget that He is there, He never forgets us.