AS we all know, the Synod of Bishops
that will take place
in Rome in October will tackle some complicated issues like how to
give due pastoral attention and care to couples in irregular
situations, that is, divorced and remarried, and to those whose sexual
orientation goes beyond the male-female system, if you will.
These issues already started to be discussed in the Synod
last year and sparked quite a firestorm that only shows how delicate
these issues are. They will continue to be so, but we just have to be
man enough to grapple with them. Let’s hope that the forthcoming Synod
can come out with workable guidelines.
We cannot deny that these complicated issues are now
everywhere. Even in our own relatively simple country, complicated
situations involving families are already mushrooming. We have a lot
of broken and dysfunctional families, etc.
Imagine in other so-called more developed countries where
these complications seem to find their most favorable ground! Think of
Germany, for example, some of whose bishops, burdened by these
pastoral problems, have gone to espousing very radical proposals which
are now creating a stir in church circles.
Many Church leaders have admitted that these issues are
really difficult to tackle. There are no simple and general yes-or-no
answers to the questions raised around them. The world has gone
complicated, and we just cannot help but complicate our lives too to
grapple with these complications.
We are actually opening some kind of new frontiers here as
we try to widen the scope of mercy and compassion to approach that of
Christ himself, described as eternal and all-embracing. This, I
believe, is what Pope Francis is pushing.
Let’s pray always, so that we can face the challenge
without getting lost. Better said, we can face the challenge enriched
by the new things we are going to learn. What is clearly needed is
greater sensitivity and docility to the promptings of the Holy Spirit
who will always be there guiding us. Also, greater effort to
understand people in their different situations, conditions and
predicaments.
For this, we have to be willing to complicate our life.
There surely will be some need for adjustments in our attitudes, in
the way we understand things and view different kinds of people. We
have to hone up our skills at versatility, which should not only be a
matter of theatric performance but rather that of genuine love for God
and for souls.
We have to learn how to flow with the times whose
developments are getting more rapid and more varied. We should learn
to be very discerning, knowing how to identify and derive anything
good that is in any person, situation, ideology, etc., but knowing
also their defects, errors, limitations so as not to be trapped by
them.
Tremendous, indeed! Overwhelming, perhaps. But we can hack
it, no doubt about that, as long as we know how to go to God and how
to demand on ourselves. Yes, we have to learn how to update our
traditional understanding and ways of doing things, distinguishing
between the essential and the accidental, the absolute and the
relative, the permanent and the changeable.
We have expand our heart to be make it more universal, as
well as broaden our mind so we can understand things more deeply and
extensively.
Let’s examine ourselves more thoroughly so as to be more
aware of our biases and preferences that can get in the way of our
effort to adapt and our pursuit for a more universal compassion.
We have to learn how to go through the process of
changing, improving and growing in our spiritual life. This can be
painful and tedious, but it is always worthwhile. Not only that. It is
necessary, if we have to be realistic.
Compassion should not be exclusively associated with the
sweet and tender moments of pity, sympathy and empathy. It demands
sacrifice and self-denial which we should be willing to give.
These challenging times are actually a call for us to
identify ourselves more closely with Christ. In other words, we are
called today to be truly holy, to become saints, canonizable saints,
and not simply fellows who are goodish, or smart and clever, or
practical, etc.
We are challenged to be another Christ himself, “alter
Christus,” who emptied himself all the way to the cross just to save
us, the ultimate in love and compassion. Are we ready for this
challenge?
To be sure, this does not mean we do extraordinary things.
It would be enough to do our daily ordinary things extraordinarily
well, with greater love!
in Rome in October will tackle some complicated issues like how to
give due pastoral attention and care to couples in irregular
situations, that is, divorced and remarried, and to those whose sexual
orientation goes beyond the male-female system, if you will.
These issues already started to be discussed in the Synod
last year and sparked quite a firestorm that only shows how delicate
these issues are. They will continue to be so, but we just have to be
man enough to grapple with them. Let’s hope that the forthcoming Synod
can come out with workable guidelines.
We cannot deny that these complicated issues are now
everywhere. Even in our own relatively simple country, complicated
situations involving families are already mushrooming. We have a lot
of broken and dysfunctional families, etc.
Imagine in other so-called more developed countries where
these complications seem to find their most favorable ground! Think of
Germany, for example, some of whose bishops, burdened by these
pastoral problems, have gone to espousing very radical proposals which
are now creating a stir in church circles.
Many Church leaders have admitted that these issues are
really difficult to tackle. There are no simple and general yes-or-no
answers to the questions raised around them. The world has gone
complicated, and we just cannot help but complicate our lives too to
grapple with these complications.
We are actually opening some kind of new frontiers here as
we try to widen the scope of mercy and compassion to approach that of
Christ himself, described as eternal and all-embracing. This, I
believe, is what Pope Francis is pushing.
Let’s pray always, so that we can face the challenge
without getting lost. Better said, we can face the challenge enriched
by the new things we are going to learn. What is clearly needed is
greater sensitivity and docility to the promptings of the Holy Spirit
who will always be there guiding us. Also, greater effort to
understand people in their different situations, conditions and
predicaments.
For this, we have to be willing to complicate our life.
There surely will be some need for adjustments in our attitudes, in
the way we understand things and view different kinds of people. We
have to hone up our skills at versatility, which should not only be a
matter of theatric performance but rather that of genuine love for God
and for souls.
We have to learn how to flow with the times whose
developments are getting more rapid and more varied. We should learn
to be very discerning, knowing how to identify and derive anything
good that is in any person, situation, ideology, etc., but knowing
also their defects, errors, limitations so as not to be trapped by
them.
Tremendous, indeed! Overwhelming, perhaps. But we can hack
it, no doubt about that, as long as we know how to go to God and how
to demand on ourselves. Yes, we have to learn how to update our
traditional understanding and ways of doing things, distinguishing
between the essential and the accidental, the absolute and the
relative, the permanent and the changeable.
We have expand our heart to be make it more universal, as
well as broaden our mind so we can understand things more deeply and
extensively.
Let’s examine ourselves more thoroughly so as to be more
aware of our biases and preferences that can get in the way of our
effort to adapt and our pursuit for a more universal compassion.
We have to learn how to go through the process of
changing, improving and growing in our spiritual life. This can be
painful and tedious, but it is always worthwhile. Not only that. It is
necessary, if we have to be realistic.
Compassion should not be exclusively associated with the
sweet and tender moments of pity, sympathy and empathy. It demands
sacrifice and self-denial which we should be willing to give.
These challenging times are actually a call for us to
identify ourselves more closely with Christ. In other words, we are
called today to be truly holy, to become saints, canonizable saints,
and not simply fellows who are goodish, or smart and clever, or
practical, etc.
We are challenged to be another Christ himself, “alter
Christus,” who emptied himself all the way to the cross just to save
us, the ultimate in love and compassion. Are we ready for this
challenge?
To be sure, this does not mean we do extraordinary things.
It would be enough to do our daily ordinary things extraordinarily
well, with greater love!
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