It’s crunch time

YES, it’s this time when a year is passing and ending and

another is coming and starting that we need to make some kind of

review of what has taken place and a projection of what can happen in

the next year.

            We have to have a good picture of where we succeeded or

failed in the past year, or where we can still improve. And we also

need to set clear goals for the next year.

            If we are truly serious with our life, which does not mean

that we should not have fun and exciting thrills, this exercise is

what we should do. Let’s always remember that we are meant to account

for everything that we are and have in this life. We are meant to be

fruitful and productive. We cannot afford to be idle or complacent.

            In this regard, let’s see how we have performed first of

all in our life of piety that is the bedrock of all the other aspects

of our life. That’s simply because it is in our spiritual life, in our

relation with God and with others that would determine in the end the

ultimate quality of our life—whether it is a life that can enter

eternal life with God or not.

            Our performance in all the other aspects of our

life—family, work and profession, social life, politics, economics,

culture, etc.—should be subordinated to our spiritual life and

inspired by it.

            If we have been monitoring our performance through the

regular practice of daily examination of conscience and monthly

recollection and yearly retreat, reviewing and projecting should not

be difficult to do.

            Of course, this is a practice that needs to be learned

thoroughly. And let’s hope that we can start with our own selves and

then help others to learn it. In this, there is a lot to be done.

            Let’s hope that the different institutions—families,

schools, parishes, offices, etc.—give their due subsidiary

contribution for this purpose. What a different world it would be—one

that is proper to us as responsible children of God—if we would learn

how to do this crunching exercise well!

            In doing this review and projection, let us look into the

finer points of things as well as the bigger and bolder issues. That’s

simply because as Christ said: “He who is faithful in little is

faithful also in much.” (Lk 16,10)

            We should avoid getting entangled in the little things

without considering the big things, and vice-versa, getting engrossed

with the big things while neglecting the little things. In a sense, we

have to do both defense and offense in the struggles involved in our

spiritual and moral life.

            We need to know more and more the reason and the motive

behind our every thought, word and deed, to see if it is truly love of

God and others that drives us, or is it more out of pride, vanity,

greed, envy, etc.?

            We need to know the art of protecting what we already have

attained in terms of our own sanctification even as we continue

conquering more areas. There will always be something we need to

improve and develop. We have to be wary of our tendency to fall into

complacency and self-satisfaction, to get stuck in our comfort zones.

            It’s always good to do some crunching to see if things are

the way they should be. It should be part of our system.