FROM word to action, from intention to fulfillment. These pairs are
actually worlds apart, and our duty is to put them together in unity,
to provide a link. We need to work out a strategy to achieve this goal
daily.
St. Paul has something very relevant to say about this. “Not the
hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall
be justified.” (Rom 2,13) St. James says something similar: “Be doers
of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (1,22)
Christ himself lived by this principle, even at the expense of his own
life. “I do nothing of myself, but as the Father has taught me...” (Jn
8,28) And in the agony in the garden, he expressed that most eloquent
submission to his Father’s will, “Not my will but yours be done.” (Lk
22,42)
We need to understand that our whole life is a matter of conforming
ourselves to God’s will, the very seat of our ultimate identity as
persons and children of God. This would involve the stages of knowing
that will, believing it, then professing it and putting it into
action. In short, receiving our faith, then turning it into life
itself.
All saints and the parade of holy men and women all through the ages
have done nothing other than this. They had their ups and downs, their
wins and losses, but they always stood up after each fall or loss,
they repented, and went back to action again.
Of course, the epitome among the saints is Our Lady, who was praised
by Christ himself to high heavens. When someone in the crowd told him
his mother was around, he said: “Behold my mother and my brethren. For
whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my
brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12, 29-50)
We should see to it that we are good not only in words and in
intentions, but also and most especially in deeds. Our usual problem,
given our human nature and the current condition of our woundedness,
is that we tend precisely to be very good in words and in intentions
but really poor in performance and consistency.
Our words and intentions can far outpace our actions. Worse, they can
cover up our failures in our performance. We can always find excuses,
or even worse, we can always resort to rationalizing or telling lies,
or to painting scenarios that have no basis in reality.
And nowadays, the art and skill for doing these follies have developed
so much that a leader of a nation or an institution, for example, can
really mislead a big mass of people. If you’re not aware of them yet,
then familiarize yourselves with the dark practices of wagging the dog
and spinning.
Sad to say, in many parts of the world today, and especially in the
so-called developed countries that are actually suffering now in
decadence, these practices have been developed to quite a high degree.
They can truly deceive massively and easily.
Yes, the probability for us to fall into inconsistency, hypocrisy,
deception, playing games, etc., is quite high, and this predicament is
somehow now facilitated and abetted by a pervading mentality and
culture that pressure us to do these.
We have to be realistic and then acknowledge the obvious facts of the
world today. But we, of course, should not remain there. We should
strive to pursue how we ought to be.
The first thing that we have to do is to be humble enough to realize
our need to ask for God’s grace, since no amount of effort, no matter
how brilliant or heroic, could produce the right result without the
grace of God.
If we have to rectify and undo certain things that we have said or
done before, then let’s do them. God’s grace, which is abundant and is
freely given, would be of no avail if there are things in us that
would block it.
Then with that grace, let’s do all to convert our words into deeds,
our intentions into reality. We need to make use of a working plan
that can effectively address this need and requirement of ours. We
need time to pray, to come up with a strategy, and other reminders and
means to put us always aware of this need.
That’s why we need to have certain norms and standards to guide us in
this regard. Aside from praying, we need to examine our conscience
regularly, avail of confession and spiritual direction, etc.
actually worlds apart, and our duty is to put them together in unity,
to provide a link. We need to work out a strategy to achieve this goal
daily.
St. Paul has something very relevant to say about this. “Not the
hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall
be justified.” (Rom 2,13) St. James says something similar: “Be doers
of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (1,22)
Christ himself lived by this principle, even at the expense of his own
life. “I do nothing of myself, but as the Father has taught me...” (Jn
8,28) And in the agony in the garden, he expressed that most eloquent
submission to his Father’s will, “Not my will but yours be done.” (Lk
22,42)
We need to understand that our whole life is a matter of conforming
ourselves to God’s will, the very seat of our ultimate identity as
persons and children of God. This would involve the stages of knowing
that will, believing it, then professing it and putting it into
action. In short, receiving our faith, then turning it into life
itself.
All saints and the parade of holy men and women all through the ages
have done nothing other than this. They had their ups and downs, their
wins and losses, but they always stood up after each fall or loss,
they repented, and went back to action again.
Of course, the epitome among the saints is Our Lady, who was praised
by Christ himself to high heavens. When someone in the crowd told him
his mother was around, he said: “Behold my mother and my brethren. For
whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my
brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12, 29-50)
We should see to it that we are good not only in words and in
intentions, but also and most especially in deeds. Our usual problem,
given our human nature and the current condition of our woundedness,
is that we tend precisely to be very good in words and in intentions
but really poor in performance and consistency.
Our words and intentions can far outpace our actions. Worse, they can
cover up our failures in our performance. We can always find excuses,
or even worse, we can always resort to rationalizing or telling lies,
or to painting scenarios that have no basis in reality.
And nowadays, the art and skill for doing these follies have developed
so much that a leader of a nation or an institution, for example, can
really mislead a big mass of people. If you’re not aware of them yet,
then familiarize yourselves with the dark practices of wagging the dog
and spinning.
Sad to say, in many parts of the world today, and especially in the
so-called developed countries that are actually suffering now in
decadence, these practices have been developed to quite a high degree.
They can truly deceive massively and easily.
Yes, the probability for us to fall into inconsistency, hypocrisy,
deception, playing games, etc., is quite high, and this predicament is
somehow now facilitated and abetted by a pervading mentality and
culture that pressure us to do these.
We have to be realistic and then acknowledge the obvious facts of the
world today. But we, of course, should not remain there. We should
strive to pursue how we ought to be.
The first thing that we have to do is to be humble enough to realize
our need to ask for God’s grace, since no amount of effort, no matter
how brilliant or heroic, could produce the right result without the
grace of God.
If we have to rectify and undo certain things that we have said or
done before, then let’s do them. God’s grace, which is abundant and is
freely given, would be of no avail if there are things in us that
would block it.
Then with that grace, let’s do all to convert our words into deeds,
our intentions into reality. We need to make use of a working plan
that can effectively address this need and requirement of ours. We
need time to pray, to come up with a strategy, and other reminders and
means to put us always aware of this need.
That’s why we need to have certain norms and standards to guide us in
this regard. Aside from praying, we need to examine our conscience
regularly, avail of confession and spiritual direction, etc.
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