Fervor and fanaticism

IT’S always good to be on fire, burning with religious

fervor, driven, active, fully inspired, etc. But let’s see to it that

we do not fall into fanaticism and bitter zeal. We have to learn to

distinguish between the two that, in these times, can be confusing

since the line between them is often blurred.

            Christ expressed such fervor when he said: “I have come to

ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I

have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is

accomplished!...” (Lk 12,49-50)

            If we are to be true followers of Christ, we should also

have such fervor and zeal. It’s a fervor and zeal that comes from

authentic love, the love that comes from God and not just our own

brand of love, or a love that is a product of worldly ideologies

alone.

            Because of the love-inspired fervor and zeal, we would be

willing to make sacrifices, even great, extraordinary ones, just to

carry out the dictates of that love. A person in love is always hot,

zealous, on the move. He is never just cool, though he also knows how

to be calm.

            Consider some pertinent words of St. Paul who said: “Do

you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the

prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in

the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that

will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

            “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly. I

do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my

body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I

myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Cor 9,24-27)

            Yes, we are meant to be zealous and fervent in our life,

to be driven in anything that we do. Things have to be done with

gusto, with the abiding mentality to “carpe diem.” Away with

passivity, with complacency, with just mindlessly flowing with the

tide. But we have to make sure that our zeal is righteous, not bitter,

with a clear sense of purpose, not just aimless.

            Righteous zeal is always respectful of legal, juridical

and most importantly of moral standards, especially that of charity

and mercy. Bitter zeal wants instant results while ignoring legal and

moral requirements. It may pursue a valid cause, working for truth and

justice, but without taking care of the appropriate means.

            Fanaticism and biitter zeal make a person hasty and

reckless in his assessment of things. It makes him fail to consider

all angles, to listen to both sides, so to speak. He is prone to

imprudence.

            Inflammatory, incendiary words are his main weapons. Being

belligerent is his style. He relishes in rousing controversies and

sowing intrigues. He’s actually not as interested in looking for the

objective truth and justice as carrying out his own personal cause.

            We have to avoid bitter zeal, since it does not come from

charity and mercy, but mainly from pride and a sense of

self-righteousness. It may be a zeal that can produce some fake forms

of success and victory, but it actually produces more harm than good

on everyone. It is a zeal that has no proper resources to handle

unavoidable defeats, setbacks and disappoints in life. It wants to win

always, to gain points.

            The love-inspired fervor and zeal knows how to deal with

all the negative elements in our life. It knows how to suffer and to

live abandonment in the ever-wise providence of God. It knows when to

move fast and when to move slow. It manages to work under all sorts of

weather and seasons. Fanaticism and bitter zeal miserably fail in this

department.