WE should be most aware of this
reality offered by our
Christian faith, and take advantage of it as much as we can. If we
follow our faith, we know that we are all in communion, forming one
body, one family, one people in Christ. It is Christ, with his
redemptive work for us, that makes this thing happen.
Distance, death and whatever differences we have actually
do not take away our communion with one another. In fact, if we use
our faith in tackling these situations, they can only heighten our
sense of communion.
This communion involves everyone in the whole creation of
God, and especially those who already are in heaven, i.e., the saints,
and even the angels. We are even in communion also with those souls
who are still purifying themselves in purgatory.
We need to process this truth of our faith slowly and
constantly, so that it would sink into our very own consciousness and
serve as a guiding principle in our life, giving shape and direction
to the way we think, understand, see and react to things.
In this way, we avoid being simply at the mercy of our own
estimation of things which, even if they can be very brilliant and
incisive, would never reach the ultimate and mysterious dimensions of
the reality proper to us.
In this way, our thoughts, desires and everything else in
our life would assume a spiritual character and a supernatural tone
proper to us as image and likeness of God, children of his through
Christ. We somehow would know how not to be completely carried away by
merely material and earthly values, even if they do have their
legitimate role to play in our life.
An abiding sense of confidence and security would be with
us if we are truly aware of the fact that we are in the company of
saints and angels. When temptations come and when our weaknesses start
to stir up, we somehow would know how to handle them, how to resist
them. We would never feel alone, abandoned, at our wits’ end, and left
to our own devices.
Being aware of their company would remind, edify and
inspire us of their goodness, their generosity and heroism, and all
their virtues like fortitude, spirit of sacrifice, their fidelity even
in the face of martyrdom, poverty, obedience, chastity, etc. They are
actually like well-lit and well-paved paths to know God’s will and
ways.
Our minds and hearts will be filled with many good things
that are proper to us, preventing us from falling into self-indulgent
thoughts and desires. We would be encouraged to give ourselves to
others, to fight with more vigor against temptations. We would be
taught how to see things through the eyes of God.
It would be good if we develop a certain devotion to them,
getting to know them through the many biographical writings about them
as well as their numerous writings that many of them left behind.
These writings are real gems of wisdom.
We, for example, should savor the most maternal love of
our Lady, our most powerful intercessor. We should feel the fatherly
care of St. Joseph for us. We can easily identify ourselves with the
bumbling apostles who, in spite of their limitations, were simple and
faithful to the Lord.
We should be inspired by the examples of St. Augustine,
St. Ambrose, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many, many others who, with the
help of grace, made full use of their intellectual and spiritual
powers to mine the rich deposit of our faith, the revealed truths,
producing a great wealth of theological knowledge that is most helpful
to all of us.
We should be edified by the examples of St. Therese of the
Child Jesus, St. Josemaria Escriva, and many others who teach us how
we can find sanctity through the little ordinary things of each day.
Almost everyday, the Church liturgy presents to us the
example of saints. Let’s try to take advantage of these to form and
solidify our Christian and spiritual life, cultivating the proper
attitudes and virtues.
As to the angels, we should realize that they are there to
help us. They can serve as our messenger, our security guard, our
errand boy, etc. Let’s see to it that we know how to deal with them.
Let’s not ignore them. They are there to do our bidding.
With the saints and angels, we would know how to react
with God to any situation and predicament. See what they can do for
us! And we would just ignore them?
Christian faith, and take advantage of it as much as we can. If we
follow our faith, we know that we are all in communion, forming one
body, one family, one people in Christ. It is Christ, with his
redemptive work for us, that makes this thing happen.
Distance, death and whatever differences we have actually
do not take away our communion with one another. In fact, if we use
our faith in tackling these situations, they can only heighten our
sense of communion.
This communion involves everyone in the whole creation of
God, and especially those who already are in heaven, i.e., the saints,
and even the angels. We are even in communion also with those souls
who are still purifying themselves in purgatory.
We need to process this truth of our faith slowly and
constantly, so that it would sink into our very own consciousness and
serve as a guiding principle in our life, giving shape and direction
to the way we think, understand, see and react to things.
In this way, we avoid being simply at the mercy of our own
estimation of things which, even if they can be very brilliant and
incisive, would never reach the ultimate and mysterious dimensions of
the reality proper to us.
In this way, our thoughts, desires and everything else in
our life would assume a spiritual character and a supernatural tone
proper to us as image and likeness of God, children of his through
Christ. We somehow would know how not to be completely carried away by
merely material and earthly values, even if they do have their
legitimate role to play in our life.
An abiding sense of confidence and security would be with
us if we are truly aware of the fact that we are in the company of
saints and angels. When temptations come and when our weaknesses start
to stir up, we somehow would know how to handle them, how to resist
them. We would never feel alone, abandoned, at our wits’ end, and left
to our own devices.
Being aware of their company would remind, edify and
inspire us of their goodness, their generosity and heroism, and all
their virtues like fortitude, spirit of sacrifice, their fidelity even
in the face of martyrdom, poverty, obedience, chastity, etc. They are
actually like well-lit and well-paved paths to know God’s will and
ways.
Our minds and hearts will be filled with many good things
that are proper to us, preventing us from falling into self-indulgent
thoughts and desires. We would be encouraged to give ourselves to
others, to fight with more vigor against temptations. We would be
taught how to see things through the eyes of God.
It would be good if we develop a certain devotion to them,
getting to know them through the many biographical writings about them
as well as their numerous writings that many of them left behind.
These writings are real gems of wisdom.
We, for example, should savor the most maternal love of
our Lady, our most powerful intercessor. We should feel the fatherly
care of St. Joseph for us. We can easily identify ourselves with the
bumbling apostles who, in spite of their limitations, were simple and
faithful to the Lord.
We should be inspired by the examples of St. Augustine,
St. Ambrose, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many, many others who, with the
help of grace, made full use of their intellectual and spiritual
powers to mine the rich deposit of our faith, the revealed truths,
producing a great wealth of theological knowledge that is most helpful
to all of us.
We should be edified by the examples of St. Therese of the
Child Jesus, St. Josemaria Escriva, and many others who teach us how
we can find sanctity through the little ordinary things of each day.
Almost everyday, the Church liturgy presents to us the
example of saints. Let’s try to take advantage of these to form and
solidify our Christian and spiritual life, cultivating the proper
attitudes and virtues.
As to the angels, we should realize that they are there to
help us. They can serve as our messenger, our security guard, our
errand boy, etc. Let’s see to it that we know how to deal with them.
Let’s not ignore them. They are there to do our bidding.
With the saints and angels, we would know how to react
with God to any situation and predicament. See what they can do for
us! And we would just ignore them?
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