Constructive always, never destructive

WE cannot deny that in our life we will always have to face

challenges and difficulties, resolve certain issues, go through the

unavoidable differences and conflicts among ourselves, etc. We should

see to it that in all this, we always maintain a positive, hopeful and

constructive attitude rather than get carried away by all kinds of

negativities, just complaining, whining and fault-finding along the

way.

  

          We have to be wary of our emotions and passions that, once

triggered without the guidance of reason and much less of our faith,

hope and charity, can go ballistic, just inflicting harm all around.

We have to learn how to control and regulate our anger and temper, and

practice patience. Feeling provoked for any reason does not mean we

are entitled to get mad.

  

          The secret is, of course, to identify ourselves with Christ

who, as St. Paul said, will always strengthen us such that we can do

all things. (cfr. Phil 4,13) We can echo St. Paul’s words: “I have

learned to be content in whatever state I am: how to be abased, how to

abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full

and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Phil 4,11-12)

  

          We need to process these words so that they will always be

with us especially when we are severely tried and sharply provoked by

some problem or issue. Other similar passages from the gospel are

helpful, like Christ’s words about never to get anxious, as recorded

in the Gospel of St. Matthew.

  

          “Do not be anxious about your life,” he said, “what you will

eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at

the birds of the air—they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value

than they?...” (6,25-26)

            Again, the idea is for us to identify ourselves with Christ,

to have his mind, his attitude toward anything in life. It is for us

to have his spirit which he actually shares with us gratuitously, but

to which we have to correspond.

  

          He gives us the bigger and complete picture of things,

reassuring us that everything will just be ok. He has taken care of

everything. With him, with his love and grace, we can bear and conquer

all things.

  

          Obviously, we, like Christ, have to be ready to suffer also.

He has said this very clearly. “If anyone would come after me, he must

deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mt 16,24)

  

          We should really need to discipline ourselves, especially

our emotions and passions, and, of course, our attitude, so that

instead of just giving a knee-jerk reaction to the challenges, issues,

problems and difficulties we meet in our life, usually expressed with

an outburst of anger, we can easily get to see the reassuring bigger

picture always painted by Christ.

  

          We have to teach ourselves to be patient, and rather than

just being restrained and moderate in our reactions, let us rev up our

optimistic and cheerful selves, knowing that each challenge and

difficulty brings with it some grace of God and some precious lessons

for us to learn.

  

          We should not allow ourselves to be guided only by our

emotions and feelings, and not even by our more intelligent estimation

of things. We have to be guided by faith, hope and charity. This is

how we can see and react to things the way Christ sees and reacts to

them.

  

          Yes, we have every reason to be positive and constructive in

our attitude even in the midst of the gloomiest situation we can find

ourselves in. Just be with Christ. That’s the secret!