THESE two values should go together.
When they happen to
be in conflict, and especially when we give more importance to
practicality than to piety, it could only mean one thing—that our
priorities have gone awry.
We have chosen to be a Martha instead of a Mary. But
things could even be worse than that comparison. Especially these days
when we are often swept away by strong pressures from all over, there
is always that danger to fall for the enticements of practicality and
completely leave piety behind.
To be realistic in our present conditions, we need to be
ready to resist this great temptation and work toward giving piety
priority over practicality. Better still, we should find a way where
the two values, in their proper order, can be put together.
This, of course, will require some deepening in our
convictions that God should be treated first before anything else in
our life. God should be the beginning and end of everything in our
life.
He is, in fact, everything to us. We need to convince
ourselves more strongly that there is nothing in life where God need
not be the center of interest, or where he can be set aside, at least
for some time. Again, God is everything to us! That is non-negotiable.
This means that we should strengthen our belief, beefing
it up with the appropriate skills, that everything is and should be
related to God. It's when we think that there are things that are not
directly relatable to God that gives rise to this conflict between
practicality and piety.
We need to overcome that common dichotomy of dividing, and
not merely distinguishing, the sacred from the mundane. Such dichotomy
is blind to the presence and providence of God working in everything
in our life. It would only recognize God's presence and work in some
sacred places or activities or some special occasions, but not in the
things of the world.
We have to develop a strong sense of piety while immersed
in the world, doing mundane things that are supposed to give glory to
God and are the raw material, so to speak, for God’s providence to
operate in the world.
We have to develop a strong sense of relating things to
God, asking ourselves questions like: Is what I am doing now what God
really wants me to do? Am I doing things with rectitude of intention?
Am I doing it right? What is God trying to tell me at this moment, in
this particular occasion? Etc.
We have to avoid falling into worldliness, secularism,
materialism and the many bad consequences they produce, like activism
and the so-called “professionalitis.” In this concern, no effort
should be spared, especially now when practically everyone is already
deeply affected by these anomalies, one way or another.
It’s not that we should always behave in a serious or
solemn way, which is what many people caricaturize piety to be. Piety
can lend itself easily into any situation. It is versatile, adaptable
to any situation, and even creative.
This creativity of piety is in fact the reason why it has
to go together with practicality. It’s when one is practical that any
situation, no matter how mundane and insignificant, can be made use of
to effect the dynamics of piety. It’s truly amazing when one finally
discovers how little and simple it takes to be with God always.
I remember a modern saint who talked a lot about human
devices to keep him always in the presence of God all throughout the
day. He would attach spiritual and moral considerations to certain
things and acts that he would usually do everyday.
Even the simple acts of opening and closing doors,
climbing up and down the stairs were accompanied with ejaculatory
prayers that truly sprang from his heart. When he met anybody even in
a casual way, he made sure to greet the guardian angel of that person.
His attitude toward persons, things and events was always spiritual
and supernatural, never just banal and worldly.
There are many possibilities our piety can be kept vibrant
if we only know how to be practical about it also. Even the morning
routine of taking a shower or shaving or dressing up can be acts of
love for God and others.
In the daily run of our affairs and concerns, when things
either go well or not, we can always be pious in a very natural way.
Piety does not preclude getting angry when it is called for, for
example...
be in conflict, and especially when we give more importance to
practicality than to piety, it could only mean one thing—that our
priorities have gone awry.
We have chosen to be a Martha instead of a Mary. But
things could even be worse than that comparison. Especially these days
when we are often swept away by strong pressures from all over, there
is always that danger to fall for the enticements of practicality and
completely leave piety behind.
To be realistic in our present conditions, we need to be
ready to resist this great temptation and work toward giving piety
priority over practicality. Better still, we should find a way where
the two values, in their proper order, can be put together.
This, of course, will require some deepening in our
convictions that God should be treated first before anything else in
our life. God should be the beginning and end of everything in our
life.
He is, in fact, everything to us. We need to convince
ourselves more strongly that there is nothing in life where God need
not be the center of interest, or where he can be set aside, at least
for some time. Again, God is everything to us! That is non-negotiable.
This means that we should strengthen our belief, beefing
it up with the appropriate skills, that everything is and should be
related to God. It's when we think that there are things that are not
directly relatable to God that gives rise to this conflict between
practicality and piety.
We need to overcome that common dichotomy of dividing, and
not merely distinguishing, the sacred from the mundane. Such dichotomy
is blind to the presence and providence of God working in everything
in our life. It would only recognize God's presence and work in some
sacred places or activities or some special occasions, but not in the
things of the world.
We have to develop a strong sense of piety while immersed
in the world, doing mundane things that are supposed to give glory to
God and are the raw material, so to speak, for God’s providence to
operate in the world.
We have to develop a strong sense of relating things to
God, asking ourselves questions like: Is what I am doing now what God
really wants me to do? Am I doing things with rectitude of intention?
Am I doing it right? What is God trying to tell me at this moment, in
this particular occasion? Etc.
We have to avoid falling into worldliness, secularism,
materialism and the many bad consequences they produce, like activism
and the so-called “professionalitis.” In this concern, no effort
should be spared, especially now when practically everyone is already
deeply affected by these anomalies, one way or another.
It’s not that we should always behave in a serious or
solemn way, which is what many people caricaturize piety to be. Piety
can lend itself easily into any situation. It is versatile, adaptable
to any situation, and even creative.
This creativity of piety is in fact the reason why it has
to go together with practicality. It’s when one is practical that any
situation, no matter how mundane and insignificant, can be made use of
to effect the dynamics of piety. It’s truly amazing when one finally
discovers how little and simple it takes to be with God always.
I remember a modern saint who talked a lot about human
devices to keep him always in the presence of God all throughout the
day. He would attach spiritual and moral considerations to certain
things and acts that he would usually do everyday.
Even the simple acts of opening and closing doors,
climbing up and down the stairs were accompanied with ejaculatory
prayers that truly sprang from his heart. When he met anybody even in
a casual way, he made sure to greet the guardian angel of that person.
His attitude toward persons, things and events was always spiritual
and supernatural, never just banal and worldly.
There are many possibilities our piety can be kept vibrant
if we only know how to be practical about it also. Even the morning
routine of taking a shower or shaving or dressing up can be acts of
love for God and others.
In the daily run of our affairs and concerns, when things
either go well or not, we can always be pious in a very natural way.
Piety does not preclude getting angry when it is called for, for
example...
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