Regarding risks

WE know that in this life there are always some risks. We

have to contend with some dangers and threats along the way. They are

actually everywhere, from the physical aspect of our life to the most

subtle levels of the spiritual and the moral.

            We, of course, should try to avoid them. But there also

are situations when these risks are unavoidable and we are somehow

forced to take them. We have to be prepared for these eventualities.

            We have to learn how to detect these risks so we can avoid

them. And we also have to learn how to manage them when they have to

be taken. We need to develop the appropriate skills for this, using

also the appropriate analytical tools.

            The first thing to do is to sharpen our understanding

about what would constitute as risks and dangers, especially in the

area of our spiritual and moral life. We have to be clear about what

would constitute as sins against God, against others and our own

selves, and against the environment, etc.

            Sad to say, many of the people’s sense of sin and

temptation is increasingly distorted these days since what are clearly

against the will and commandments of God are now being legalized and

normalized.

            We now have legalized abortion and same-sex marriage, for

example, and the frivolous lifestyles complete with sexual perversions

and all kinds of addictions are spreading.

            All kinds of cheating, deception and corruption are

rampant. All these would certainly create a loosening of morals all

over the place, especially affecting the young ones who are most

vulnerable.

            It is now quite a challenge to make people develop the

proper sense of sin. This can only happen if there is also the prior

and abiding effort to develop a closer relationship with God. Without

this latter effort, there is no way we can have a good sense of sin,

let alone the ability to know and resist their risks.

            So the real challenge is actually how to make people

develop their spiritual life of love and communion with God. So far,

what we see is a highly formalistic kind of spirituality that hardly

has any substance. There’s a lot of inconsistency and instability in

the spiritual life of many people.

            Regarding risk detection and risk management, what is

immediately needed is the habit of making a regular examination of

conscience so that people can effectively monitor the developments of

their spiritual life. People have to be taught how to do this, always

highlighting both the immediate and long-run benefits of this

practice.

            There has to be good system of monitoring the different

events and situations of the day. This may include the practice of

noting down not only mentally but also on paper the significant

features of these events and situations that need to be looked into

more closely.

            People have to be taught how to discern the different

spirits behind every event and situation to see if they are good or

bad and thus to be able to act accordingly. They have to know the root

and sources of the risks and temptations they have to contend with.

            Together with teaching people how to do the examination of

conscience, the practice of how to formulate a good plan of ascetical

struggle should also be taught. The spiritual and supernatural means

should take pride of place, but the concrete human means should also

be made clear.