Connecting the dots

OUR life is, of course, like a puzzle. Mysteries and other

inexplicable events and insoluble problems abound. There are many dots

that need to be connected to see the whole picture. We can try to

connect them ourselves, using our best efforts. But would that assure

us of success?

            If we have faith in God, then we would know that in him we

have the best guarantee of seeing the whole picture, of finding

meaning, reason and purpose for everything that takes place in our

life.

            God is the creator of the universe, the giver of existence

to everything. As such, he is in everything and guides all to him,

their ultimate end. In a manner of speaking, he has the master plan

and knows what to do however the plan is executed by us who are

supposed to be his agents. It’s he who can give us the whole picture,

who gives the full meaning, reason and purpose for all the events in

our life.

            And with our sinfulness, it is he in Christ through the

Holy Spirit who can resolve everything, giving us his mercy, restoring

our dignity. He is the one that connects the dots and enables to see

the whole picture.

            God in Christ through the Holy Spirit is the one that

connects heaven and earth, the spiritual and the material, the

supernatural and the natural, eternity and time. He is the one who can

right all wrongs, can make the impossible possible, can cure all

sicknesses, can resolve all problems, can resurrect the dead.

            We need to learn to refer everything to God. More than

that, we have to live our life as fully as possible with God. This is

not to undermine our autonomy and freedom. This is what would

precisely perfect our freedom and assures us that we are using and

living it properly.

            In this regard, we have to learn to especially refer to

him the mundane things of our life. We usually refer to him the sacred

ones, but the mundane, the technical, etc., are usually regarded as

having nothing to do with God. We have to correct that misconception.

            In fact, it is in our mundane, technical and temporal

affairs that are in great need to be referred to God. All of them play

a role in the providence of God. We have to figure out how they should

be pursued in keeping with God’s will and providence.

            We have to develop some kind of instinct, an urge to refer

everything to God. This can mean many things. One could be that before

we start to do anything or to get involved in anything, we should

already offer it to God, and in our prayers and meditation, try to

discern how these things fit in God’s providence.

            Such instinct and urge should lead us to see God in

everything. If we have faith in him and are always inspired by hope

and charity, we can readily see him wherever we are. And we can

gradually understand his ways and play our part.

            We can also be the ones addressed by Christ when he told

the apostles: “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears

because they hear...Many prophets ad righteous men longed to see what

you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear

it...” (Mt 13,16-17)