UNAVOIDABLE in our earthly condition,
sorrows have to be
handled well. Thus, the need to learn how to do it, developing first
of all the proper attitude and the corresponding skills. If handled
well, these sorrows would not be purely negative elements in our life.
They, in fact, can be sources and occasions of many good things.
First of all, we should not be surprised if sorrows come
in our life. They are part of our condition that is weakened and
wounded by sin, ours and those of others. The sooner we feel at home
with this reality, the better for us. Denying this inevitability would
only complicate our life unnecessarily.
They come in many forms—physical, emotional, mental,
moral, spiritual. Some of us have certain vulnerabilities that would
make us prone to fall into sorrows, oftentimes unnecessary sorrows.
They can be occasioned also by certain problems and
difficulties in our family life, our professional, social, political
and economic life. We should try to be game enough to play and dance
with those circumstances. They actually do not spell the end of the
world for us. They only challenge us and give us an opportunity to
learn new things. That is how we should consider these problems and
difficulties.
We have to learn how to handle these predicaments. And the
first thing to do is to develop a spiritual attitude and supernatural
outlook in life, based on our faith in God that has to grow stronger
everyday. That faith, of course, has to give rise to hope and be
nourished by charity.
These are the most important aspects or dimensions in our
life, and we should try our best that we become adept in handling
them. They are the ones that give life and meaning to all the other
aspects in our life—personal, family, social, professional, etc.
They are the ones that give the whole, full picture of our
life, and thus, integrate all the other aspects, putting them in one
organic whole. They are the ones that connect us with God our Creator
and with everybody and everything else.
In other words, they are the ones that enable us to get in
touch with truth in all its objectivity and in its proper relation
with charity, mercy, justice, etc. They are the ones that let us love
properly.
Neglecting the care for the spiritual and supernatural
aspects of our life exposes us to a lot of dangers. It would give us a
reductive view of life. And this can be aggravated because such view
can give us immediate advantages, thus, blinding us to the need to
focus more on our spiritual and supernatural life and health.
Taking care of the spiritual and supernatural aspects of
our life enables us to imitate Christ in being patient and willing to
go through all the sacrifices we can meet in our earthly life. It's a
patience that is also founded on the truth that all our sorrows and
sufferings in life always have some redemptive meaning.
In fact, to be very realistic in life, we have to be ready
and eager to become a sacrificial lamb. This is not bad news. This is
Good News.
Our problem is that, unfortunately, the expression,
sacrificial lamb, has suffered a great diminution of appreciation in
the world today. It is simply considered in the context of practical
advantages and disadvantages of a given situation.
Obviously, with that frame of mind and only with that
attitude without any other higher consideration, no one would like to
be a sacrificial lamb. Even the commonest of common sense would be
averse to that idea. Everyone would like to flee from that predicament
as much as possible.
We have to learn to go and cling to Christ as quickly and
as strongly as possible during our episodes of sorrow. We should not
delay, so that we avoid falling into the reasoning of the flesh, the
world, and especially the devil. These can only lead us to sadness and
discouragement, as they take away the redemptive effects of Christ's
mission here on earth in our sorrows.
They would only paint a dark picture of life. If not that,
they can tempt us to go the other extreme of simply falling into wild
abandon in life. Thus, we have to learn how to think, reason out and
react properly in our sorrows.
Our faith should never waver even in our worst situations.
In this, let us imitate the example of Mary, our Lady of Sorrows, who
stood at the foot of Christ's cross, suffering in silence and knowing
why all that suffering had to take place.
handled well. Thus, the need to learn how to do it, developing first
of all the proper attitude and the corresponding skills. If handled
well, these sorrows would not be purely negative elements in our life.
They, in fact, can be sources and occasions of many good things.
First of all, we should not be surprised if sorrows come
in our life. They are part of our condition that is weakened and
wounded by sin, ours and those of others. The sooner we feel at home
with this reality, the better for us. Denying this inevitability would
only complicate our life unnecessarily.
They come in many forms—physical, emotional, mental,
moral, spiritual. Some of us have certain vulnerabilities that would
make us prone to fall into sorrows, oftentimes unnecessary sorrows.
They can be occasioned also by certain problems and
difficulties in our family life, our professional, social, political
and economic life. We should try to be game enough to play and dance
with those circumstances. They actually do not spell the end of the
world for us. They only challenge us and give us an opportunity to
learn new things. That is how we should consider these problems and
difficulties.
We have to learn how to handle these predicaments. And the
first thing to do is to develop a spiritual attitude and supernatural
outlook in life, based on our faith in God that has to grow stronger
everyday. That faith, of course, has to give rise to hope and be
nourished by charity.
These are the most important aspects or dimensions in our
life, and we should try our best that we become adept in handling
them. They are the ones that give life and meaning to all the other
aspects in our life—personal, family, social, professional, etc.
They are the ones that give the whole, full picture of our
life, and thus, integrate all the other aspects, putting them in one
organic whole. They are the ones that connect us with God our Creator
and with everybody and everything else.
In other words, they are the ones that enable us to get in
touch with truth in all its objectivity and in its proper relation
with charity, mercy, justice, etc. They are the ones that let us love
properly.
Neglecting the care for the spiritual and supernatural
aspects of our life exposes us to a lot of dangers. It would give us a
reductive view of life. And this can be aggravated because such view
can give us immediate advantages, thus, blinding us to the need to
focus more on our spiritual and supernatural life and health.
Taking care of the spiritual and supernatural aspects of
our life enables us to imitate Christ in being patient and willing to
go through all the sacrifices we can meet in our earthly life. It's a
patience that is also founded on the truth that all our sorrows and
sufferings in life always have some redemptive meaning.
In fact, to be very realistic in life, we have to be ready
and eager to become a sacrificial lamb. This is not bad news. This is
Good News.
Our problem is that, unfortunately, the expression,
sacrificial lamb, has suffered a great diminution of appreciation in
the world today. It is simply considered in the context of practical
advantages and disadvantages of a given situation.
Obviously, with that frame of mind and only with that
attitude without any other higher consideration, no one would like to
be a sacrificial lamb. Even the commonest of common sense would be
averse to that idea. Everyone would like to flee from that predicament
as much as possible.
We have to learn to go and cling to Christ as quickly and
as strongly as possible during our episodes of sorrow. We should not
delay, so that we avoid falling into the reasoning of the flesh, the
world, and especially the devil. These can only lead us to sadness and
discouragement, as they take away the redemptive effects of Christ's
mission here on earth in our sorrows.
They would only paint a dark picture of life. If not that,
they can tempt us to go the other extreme of simply falling into wild
abandon in life. Thus, we have to learn how to think, reason out and
react properly in our sorrows.
Our faith should never waver even in our worst situations.
In this, let us imitate the example of Mary, our Lady of Sorrows, who
stood at the foot of Christ's cross, suffering in silence and knowing
why all that suffering had to take place.
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