MANY commercials flaunt the slogan
that if you become
someone or do something, you get to see the world. “Be a flight
stewardess and see the world,” is an example. “Be an IT expert, or a
caregiver, and see the world,” is another.
Many young people obviously get attracted to the idea. And
that's understandable. But we need to remind everyone that there is a
much better way to see the world and even to go beyond simply seeing
the world. And it need not involve any traveling at all.
It's when we get identified with God's will that we get to
see not only the world in the manner of a tourist, an immigrant or an
OFW, but also beyond the world, and even beyond space and time toward
eternity and the spiritual and supernatural realities which no amount
of earthly traveling can reach.
Christ said as much when he addressed his disciples who
believed in him: “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and ears, for
they hear. Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed
to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear,
and did not hear it.” (Mt 13,16-17)
In another part of the gospel, Christ told one of his
apostles: “He who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and
greater works than these will he do...” (Jn 14,12)
Still in another part, from St. Paul's letter to the
Ephesians, we read: “Being rooted and grounded in love, you may have
power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length
and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses
knowledge...” (3,17-18)
We need to explode the myth that taking our faith
seriously and consistently living our piety in all the circumstances
of our life means having a deprived and secluded life. The opposite is
true.
With faith we get to see both the macro and micro levels
of reality. With faith, our power to cover big and distant areas, as
well as to penetrate things to their core is mightier than what the
Internet and other new technologies, for example, can do. It would be
mightier than what our senses and our intellectual powers unguided by
faith can reach.
That's the reason why we should always enliven our faith
through constant prayer, recourse to the sacraments, assiduous study
of the doctrine of our faith, waging a continuing spiritual struggle
against our weaknesses and temptations, and growing in the virtues.
The saints achieved a universal mind and heart, with the
effects of their sanctity reaching distant lands, simply by living
their faith to the full even if they were confined to a certain area.
The life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus is proof of this. Her
heroic sanctity, lived and developed in the confines of her convent,
made her the patron of the missions.
We need to understand the dynamics of faith. It has the
power of God's grace that can go beyond our human limitations. It can
purify and elevate our natural faculties. It can enable us to enter
into the spiritual and supernatural realities.
We need to be spiritual, not carnal. It’s not a matter of
suppressing our sensual, material and earthly condition, but rather of
going beyond that level. That’s where the road to the fullness of
humanity can be found. That’s where we are freed from the constricting
world of our senses, emotions and passions.
St. Paul said something to this effect. “Put off your old
nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt
through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true
righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4,22-24)
In another instance, St. Paul talked about talking or
preaching in a spiritual way and not just according to human and
worldly wisdom. “My message and my preaching,” he said, “were not with
wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s
power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s
power.” (1 Cor 2,4-5)
More clearly, he said: “We speak, not in words taught us
by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining
spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.” (1 Cor 2,13)
This is a big challenge for us all. We have to learn to
think, speak and act in a spiritual way, and not just mainly
conditioned by our sensual, material and worldly aspects.
someone or do something, you get to see the world. “Be a flight
stewardess and see the world,” is an example. “Be an IT expert, or a
caregiver, and see the world,” is another.
Many young people obviously get attracted to the idea. And
that's understandable. But we need to remind everyone that there is a
much better way to see the world and even to go beyond simply seeing
the world. And it need not involve any traveling at all.
It's when we get identified with God's will that we get to
see not only the world in the manner of a tourist, an immigrant or an
OFW, but also beyond the world, and even beyond space and time toward
eternity and the spiritual and supernatural realities which no amount
of earthly traveling can reach.
Christ said as much when he addressed his disciples who
believed in him: “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and ears, for
they hear. Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed
to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear,
and did not hear it.” (Mt 13,16-17)
In another part of the gospel, Christ told one of his
apostles: “He who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and
greater works than these will he do...” (Jn 14,12)
Still in another part, from St. Paul's letter to the
Ephesians, we read: “Being rooted and grounded in love, you may have
power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length
and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses
knowledge...” (3,17-18)
We need to explode the myth that taking our faith
seriously and consistently living our piety in all the circumstances
of our life means having a deprived and secluded life. The opposite is
true.
With faith we get to see both the macro and micro levels
of reality. With faith, our power to cover big and distant areas, as
well as to penetrate things to their core is mightier than what the
Internet and other new technologies, for example, can do. It would be
mightier than what our senses and our intellectual powers unguided by
faith can reach.
That's the reason why we should always enliven our faith
through constant prayer, recourse to the sacraments, assiduous study
of the doctrine of our faith, waging a continuing spiritual struggle
against our weaknesses and temptations, and growing in the virtues.
The saints achieved a universal mind and heart, with the
effects of their sanctity reaching distant lands, simply by living
their faith to the full even if they were confined to a certain area.
The life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus is proof of this. Her
heroic sanctity, lived and developed in the confines of her convent,
made her the patron of the missions.
We need to understand the dynamics of faith. It has the
power of God's grace that can go beyond our human limitations. It can
purify and elevate our natural faculties. It can enable us to enter
into the spiritual and supernatural realities.
We need to be spiritual, not carnal. It’s not a matter of
suppressing our sensual, material and earthly condition, but rather of
going beyond that level. That’s where the road to the fullness of
humanity can be found. That’s where we are freed from the constricting
world of our senses, emotions and passions.
St. Paul said something to this effect. “Put off your old
nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt
through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true
righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4,22-24)
In another instance, St. Paul talked about talking or
preaching in a spiritual way and not just according to human and
worldly wisdom. “My message and my preaching,” he said, “were not with
wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s
power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s
power.” (1 Cor 2,4-5)
More clearly, he said: “We speak, not in words taught us
by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining
spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.” (1 Cor 2,13)
This is a big challenge for us all. We have to learn to
think, speak and act in a spiritual way, and not just mainly
conditioned by our sensual, material and worldly aspects.
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