WE know that our need for formation is a continuing one.
It’s a never-ending affair. That’s because not only do we have to
pursue the ideal of the fullness of our humanity, let alone, our
Christian perfection—already a formidable, overwhelming task—but we
also have to contend with the changing circumstances as we go along,
which can be very tricky to us. And some of these changes can be
drastic and radical!
We can imagine, for example, how things will be after this
pandemic we are having at the moment. We cannot anymore do things the
way we used to do them. There will be new challenges in many
fronts—personal, professional, social, etc. The need for adaptation is
going to be very exacting.
But we just have to find ways to adapt to the new or the
next normal. Remember Christ saying, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk
cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the
garment, and a worse tear will result. Neither do men pour new wine
into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will
spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine
into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Mt 9,16-17)
We have to take time to study how we can pursue this
indispensable task of our continuing formation given the drastic
changes and the new challenges of our times. It would be advisable to
consult with some people who may give us new ideas and techniques,
especially in the area of the new technologies.
Of course, it is important that we are very clear about
what are truly essential in our formation—that God is the source and
end of everything, that we have been created in his image and
likeness, that we are meant to sanctify ourselves usually in the
middle of the world and to help in the work of human redemption
through our personal apostolate, that God meets us in all the
circumstances of our life and invites us to love him and everyone
else, etc.
For all these, we are supposed to be strong and stable
humanly and spiritually, knowledgeable about the doctrine of our
Christian faith that gives us the global picture of things. We have to
learn how to pray and do the necessary practices of piety given the
likely scenario that our days will have more things and more
challenges.
We have to learn how to deal with our weaknesses,
limitations, failures, temptations and sins. Of course, we also have
to learn how to properly deal with our successes and achievements and
the other good things in life that can spoil us if not handled well.
Yes, we have to learn how to strike a good balance between the new and
the old, our immediate requirements and our ultimate necessity.
We can imagine that the new or the next normal will
require of us more resilience, patience and humility, since it is most
likely that we will have to study new things. We may even have to
change profession, not to mention our social and economic status. We
should be ready to strengthen our spirit of sacrifice, otherwise we
will likely fall into depression and the like.
In all this, we should try to maintain a calm and cheerful
bearing and outlook, knowing that God takes care of everything, and
that everything will work out for the good if we are with God. (cfr.
Rom 8,28) We just have to learn how to be sport and game, considering
these new challenges as some kind of a divinely-directed adventure.
Although we may not be able to avoid worrying completely,
let us consider these worries as an occasion to get closer to God,
begging him for some help, asking for some miracle if we want it, etc.
Our spirit of divine filiation, that conviction that we are children
of a good father who takes care of us in everything, should remain
strong!
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