We are always being tested

WE should never forget this fact of life. As long as we

live in this planet, we are actually being tested to see if we love

God or our own selves, if we choose to do good or to opt for the

pleasurable or convenient evil, if we truly give ourselves to God and

others or we are simply indulging ourselves.

            We have to be clear that there in nothing in our life, no

moment or situation where this test is not being done. We have to

explode the myth that consists in the thinking that there are times

when we are freed from this test. Even in our moments of rest and

recreation, we are being tested.

            Let’s remember these relevant words of Christ. “He who is

not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me

scatters.” (Mt 12,30) There is no neutral ground in our relationship

with God. We are either for him or against him.

            And being created in the image and likeness of God, we are

meant to be always with God, much like what Christ himself said about

the vine and branches. (cfr. Jn 15,5) Otherwise, we die in the sense

of living a life that is not proper to us, like the branches that are

separated from the vine.

            It should be like an instinct to us to refer everything in

our life to God. Every so often, we can ask ourselves these questions:

“Is this what God wants me to do at this moment? Is this how it should

be done to please God? What does God want me to think, say or do at

this time? How would God react to this event or circumstance?”

            Such questions should prod us to know more about God. Such

questions should also sharpen our desire to form our conscience well,

since that is where we can hear the voice of God in our inmost self.

            That is why we have to learn how to really pray and to

become an authentic contemplative soul even while in the middle of the

world. In fact, the more immersed we are with our earthly concerns,

the more immersed we should also be in God.

            But given our usual weakness that consists in being easily

intoxicated by the tremendous endowments and privileges God has given

us, we always tend to separate ourselves from God. This has happened

since the beginning of humanity, during the time of Adam and Eve.

            Thus, we always have to be guarded against our own selves,

our own weaknesses, not to mention, of course, the other usual enemies

we have: the temptations in the world and the tricks of the devil.

            We have to remember that every event and circumstances in

our life, no matter how mundane, is always an occasion to be with God,

to love him. Our work and our other duties and concerns are actually

the occasion when we can have an encounter with God who is always

present and is always intervening in our life.

            We need to realize more deeply that being aware of God’s

presence and corresponding to his will always do not undermine our

humanity and our freedom. We would actually be approaching what is

ideal in our life.

            We should always be aware that we are being tested while

living in this world and that we need to pass that test!

Let’s always have civil discourse

WE have to convince ourselves that the best way to resolve

our unavoidable differences and conflicts in the area of politics,

social life, and other fields prone to contention and controversies,

is for us to always engage in civil discourse, in cordial dialogue.

            We have to avoid as much as possible engaging in

discussions where we think our views and positions are the only

correct ones, the only fair ones, etc., and those of the others have

no validity whatsoever. That’s definitely the wrong way to look at

things.

            It’s unbelievable that some politicians, for example,

claim that they have all the truth, that they are practically

infallible about their views and ways, and that their opponents have

nothing whatsoever of what may be considered as true and fair.

            We need to listen to everyone, no matter how different and

even in conflict their views are from ours. They will also have some

good reason for their opinions and we just have to learn to respect

them.

            Even in their clearly wrong views, as in being immoral and

sinful, they can always be handled properly without sacrificing

charity, since evil can only have a power that is borrowed from what

pertains to its corresponding good. All we have to do to rebut evil is

to appeal to the good and the truth that is being distorted or denied.

            It’s important that we presume that everyone has good

intentions. We have to avoid calling to question the intentions behind

the views of others, unless it can be clearly ascertained that there

is malice.

            And even if that is the case, it should be brought up in

as cordial a manner as possible. To be avoided are the ways of sarcasm

and ironies, direct, frontal attacks, insults and mockeries,

name-calling, etc. In other words, to respond without charity. charity

and good manners should never be abandoned.

            Let’s never forget what Christ told us about loving our

enemies. St. Paul reiterated that point when he said, “Do not repay

anyone evil for evil…If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge…but leave room for

God’s wrath…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

(Rom 12,17-21) St. Peter also said something similar. (cfr. 1 Pt 3,9)

            While we can have our partisan position in political

issues, we have to remember that such condition should not undermine

our universal goal for the common good that can be pursued in

different and even in legitimately and morally conflicting ways.

            Let’s not forget that temporal matters, as in politics,

can follow some political doctrines that at best can only have a

tentative effectivity and varying interpretations, and are always in

need of updating, purifying and contextualizing.

            These temporal matters hardly have dogmas where everyone

is supposed to agree and to follow all the time. Temporal matters do

not have the same status as religious faith and creed. And even in the

latter, their dogmas are not supposed to be forced on anyone.

            We all have to create the proper environment and

atmosphere for a civil discourse, a cordial dialogue to take place.

This is especially incumbent on our leaders, both the civil and the

spiritual. Everything should be done to keep this environment as it

should be—clean, open, welcoming, always working for unity.

            The different actors and parties should do their part. The

media especially should be fair and balanced in monitoring the

developments. Everyone should have a clear idea of what can be

tolerated and what not in the exchanges of opinions. Everyone should

agree that some compromises may have to be made to reach a certain

consensus, so everyone can move on.

            There has to be some set of ground rules that everyone

should accept. Of course, these ground rules may also be modified as

we go along, but such modification should also be done gradually, not

violently!

Nostalgia and expectation

WE need to have a good and healthy sense of nostalgia and

expectation in our life here on earth. We cannot deny that we have our

past and our future, and thus we cannot avoid having to refer

ourselves to these points of reference.

            Of course, in our life here on earth, there will always be

some drama involved, some lights and shadows, joys and sorrows,

successes and failures. But there is something in us that, in spite of

the ups and downs of our earthly journey, would give us joy and peace

always.

            And that is to remember always that we come from God, we

come from heaven, and that we are meant to be with God in heaven for

all eternity. We need to see the bigger picture of our life, learning

to see beyond the here and now, beyond the various conditionings we

are subjected to now, beyond the limits of time and space. This is

where our sense of nostalgia and expectation should be grounded.

            Our life here on earth is just a test, to see if what God

wants of us is also what we want for ourselves. And the test is in the

way we handle our earthly conditions. For this, God has already given

us the means and the power, but it is up to us to take them up or not.

            To be sure, God has given us his very own Son, Jesus

Christ, who is made alive in us through the Holy Spirit, and

actualized through the many means and instrumentalities made available

in the Church. We have no reason to be afraid, nor to worry, nor to

think that our life is just one aimless venture that can be engaged

just in any way we want.

            Let’s remember that we are not purely material beings. We

have a spiritual soul that is capable of transcendence and of being

elevated to the supernatural order of God. That’s simply because God

made us so. He created us in his image and likeness. That is why he

did not only give us intelligence and will, the capacity to know and

to love, but also his grace that enables us to share in his very own

life.

  

            It’s important that the awareness of heaven as our

beginning and end is always vivid in us. We should do all to make that

so, since that would be a genuine guide for as we go through the

twists and turns of our earthly life.

            One way to do that is to remind ourselves right at the

beginning of the day, as we wake up, that we come from God, that we

come from heaven. That’s why one of the first things we do during the

day is to thank God for the sleep and to start planning out the day,

making some kind of itinerary that would lead us back to God in heaven

at the end of the day.

            It’s also helpful that from time to time, we try to

imagine how heaven would be like. We know that it is so indescribable

that we are told that “no eyes have seen, nor ears heard, neither has

it entered into the man’s heart, the things which God has prepared for

them who love him.” (1 Cor 2,9) But that does not prevent us from

trying to imagine it.

            We can also repeat as some kind of aspiration that should

spring from our heart, Psalm 27,8, says “Lord, I wish to see your

face.” And everytime we see a baby, we should remind ourselves that

this baby did not simply come from his parents, but from God. The same

when we see a dying old person. We should think that he is going back

to God in heaven for all eternity.

            This is what a healthy sense of nostalgia and expectation

should be. It’s a kind of homesickness that is based on our Christian

faith!

Is there a spiritual bipolar disorder?

MANY of us are familiar with the psychological illness

called bipolar disorder. It is what is described as a manic depressive

illness, a mood disorder with two extremes: depressed (low) and manic

(high). It varies in severity, and mild cases may appear ordinary for

many years.

          A worse illness can be what is called a split personality

where a person has two or more distinct personalities. The thoughts,

actions, and behavior of each personality may be completely different.

It’s like having the Jekyll-and-Hyde syndrome or having a double life,

an extreme case of hypocrisy.

          These illnesses, I imagine, can have various causes and can

have some organic sources. But we cannot discount the possibility that

they too can be the effect of a sick spirituality. It’s a spirituality

that only has the trappings of piety but not the real thing. It is not

truly anchored on God, thus, only inconsistency can take place.

          That’s when we can talk about the possibility of a spiritual

illness called a spiritual bipolar disorder. That’s when a person who

appears to be a spiritual and pious person is hounded by severe,

frequent and kind of stable swings of the extremes of holiness and

grave sinfulness.

          We know, of course, that the spiritual life of a person here

on earth will always involve a struggle, of some wins and losses,

victories and defeats. It will always be a work in progress, with its

twists and turns, highs and lows. This is a normal human condition.

          But at least, a truly spiritual and pious person would have

a very significant degree of consistency in being holy. He is quite

clear about what holiness involves and has a working plan with

matching means and resources to keep his quest for sanctity going in

spite of occasional falls. He knows what to do when he falls. He

recovers quite easily, with hardly any extraordinary help from others.

          With those who can be described as having a spiritual

bipolar disorder, the condition is such that they can easily switch

from being good at one moment and then bad at the next, from behaving

like an angel or saint during the day to acting like a demon and

depraved and wild person at night, and this for an indefinite period

of time.

          The root problem here is usually the pride and insincerity

of the person concerned. He does not avail of the necessary means to

address his serious predicament. He usually fails to go to confession

and to have spiritual direction or guidance. And if he does, he

usually is not sincere. He twists things according to his preferred

narrative.

          Sad to say, this disorder appears to be getting quite

common. It usually affects the so-called “good and pious people” who

are not truly so. Because their sanctification is not authentic and

sincere, they become easy prey to their weaknesses and the many

temptations around.

          We have to reassure everyone who may have symptoms of this

condition that there is always an effective help that they can receive

if they would just ask for it. Conversion and healing are always

possible. There is nothing to be ashamed of nor to fear if they only

open up to the right persons who can guide them.

          Offhand, what can be suggested as initial help are that we

should really make our prayer real prayer, a genuine encounter with

God who is always around and is ever solicitous of our needs.

          We should be ready to effectively counter those situations

that can trigger a radical swing to the left. These situations can be

when we are tired and are looking for some comfort and compensations,

when we are alone and feeling lonely, when we suffer the pain of loss.

Or it can also be when we misuse and abuse certain things, like

drinks, food, gadgets, films, etc.

Breaking down the reality of evil

ALTHOUGH this topic has been taken up in a column of mine

some years ago, I believe it is good to make another review of it if

only to know better the true face of this reality of evil in our life,

its causes and sources, and its potentials for worse things as well as

for a greater good. Yes, evil can occasion a greater good in us.

            Besides, with the new developments we are having now, it

is good also to update and adapt our understanding of evil to the new

and changing things of the world. This will help us to be more able to

deal with this phenomenon better.

            At bottom, evil comes about because it is an abuse of the

good things God has given us. Evil cannot exist on its own. It has to

refer itself to a good that is being misused or abused, intentionally

or unintentionally.

            We can say that God must already have known this from all

eternity when he decided to create the universe, and especially the

men and angels who, with their spiritual nature, with their power to

know and to love with their intelligence and will, have the capacity

either to do good by following God’s will or to do evil by disobeying

him.

            So, it’s not that God had to scramble with a Plan B in his

work of creation because it was messed up by us. He already knew from

all eternity that evil would come about, and he has a way of dealing

with it that will always lead to his own glorification and to our own

good.

            Truth is after the fall of our first parents who were

created in the perfect condition of what is known as the “state of

original justice,” all of us with the exception of the Blessed Virgin

cannot help but have an attraction to evil. This is what is called as

concupiscence which is not restricted only to matters of sex.

            Concupiscence is a generalized attraction to all kinds of

evil which, due to our spiritual nature, can have infinite

possibilities. We cannot avoid it anymore. It’s kind of made part of

our genetics. No matter how saintly we like to be and we try to be

with our best efforts, this concupiscence can manage to rear its ugly

head at any time.

            We should not be too surprised and worried about this,

since worrying will only make things worse. Worrying weakens our

personal resistance to concupiscence and can give a footing to the

devil who will always be around, eager to take advantage of the

situation.

            What we have to do is just to try our best to pray and, as

Christ suggested, that we learn to deny ourselves and carry the cross.

In other words, we should lead a very active life of self-denial,

penance and mortification. We have to be wary of our tendency to be

self-indulgent or simply to be on our own, because that would only

make us easy prey to the allurements of evil.

            Let’s also remember that while we bear this concupiscence

all throughout our life, it can never dominate us for long if we don’t

let it. It can always be overcome—obviously with God’s grace and not

only with our own efforts.

            Besides, in the most mysterious wisdom of God, this

concupiscence can occasion a greater good for us. It attracts God’s

mercy to us. It points to us where we have to be most careful and

vigilant. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,” St. Paul

assures us in his Letter to the Romans. (5,20) And “God does not allow

you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” (1 Cor 10.13)

            We should just be sport about this wounded condition of

ours in this life. Christ takes care of everything. And when we are

struck by evil, let’s go back to God as soon as we can, usually going

to confession with utmost sincerity and contrition.

Love-inspired time management

IT is quite clear, especially these days with so many

developments to cope, that managing our time, which is a very precious

resource, has become a basic necessity. In fact, time management has

become some kind of a rocket science that is constantly studied,

researched on, updated and offered as a course, especially in business

and engineering schools.

            Many people are now taught the skills of consciously

controlling the time spent on specific activities if only to increase

effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. These skills can include

prioritizing, delegation, decision-making, goal-setting, multitasking,

problem solving, strategic thinking, scheduling, record keeping, etc.

            These are all wonderful things to learn, and we should

encourage everyone to acquire these skills. But there’s just one thing

we have to be clear about. It’s a very fundamental thing, disregarding

which would just put to nothing whatever scientific skills we can

learn in this field.

            We should see to it that all this concern for time

management be properly motivated by love. And I mean the real love,

not just any kind of love, that is not properly grounded and oriented

toward the ultimate goal of human life.

            We have to be clear that our time here on earth is a time

of transit toward eternity, from where we came and to where we are

heading. That’s because we are creatures of God who is in eternity. We

came from him, and since we have been created in his image and

likeness, we are meant to be with him in all eternity also.

            We therefore need to be eternity-ready in our time here on

earth. And we can approximate that state of life and prepare ourselves

for it by trying to be with God always, following his will and ways as

we go through the drama of our earthly life. This is what true love is

all about, which is the essence and purpose of our life here on earth.

            Another way of saying this point is that our time here on

earth is supposed to head to its fullness and perfection when it fully

reconnects with the eternity of God. At the moment, our time is still

in some tentative condition insofar as its relation to the eternity of

God is concerned. It is our responsibility, with God’s grace, of

course, to connect our time to God’s eternity.

            Linking time with eternity is first of all a matter of the

belief that there is God and that he is our creator who gives us our

existence, and that he continually, without any gap or break, is

intervening in our life out of sheer love for us. We have to

correspond to that love of God for us with love also. Thus, the use of

time can only be considered as good and proper when motivated by that

love.

            We have to be more aware of this truth, and more

importantly, know how to deal with it. We often take it for granted,

or worse, we can think that our life can just be on our own,

completely dependent on what and how we make it to be. We have to

overcome this mentality.

            Or we can think that we can be with God at some time and

can be on our own at other times. We also need to outgrow this

mentality, because it simply does not correspond to the reality shown

to us by our Christian faith. True, it’s not easy. There’s a deep and

vast awkwardness especially in the beginning. But it’s not a problem

that cannot be solved.

            To achieve a constant awareness of God’s presence and

intervention in our life, we need to exert the effort to pray and to

reach what is called a contemplative lifestyle even in the hustle and

bustle of the world.

            This is when we can truly say that we are having a

love-inspired time management!

Leveraging our difficulties

IF we are truly with God, we would know how to take

maximum advantage even of our difficulties, problems and all the other

negative things that can take place in our life here on earth. These

negative things are unavoidable, in fact. We should know how to handle

them properly. But it would be a pity if we fail to see the great

potentials they have in generating more and greater good.

            We should always remember that God takes care of

everything. And even from evil, he would know how to derive some good.

With him, everything, including our failures and sins, would always

work for the good. His wisdom, his omnipotence, his mercy, etc. would

take care of all that.

            The crucial thing to do is to be with God, which

definitely will require some discipline from us. And so, even if

especially at the beginning, we would find it hard, if not almost

impossible to be with God, we just have to do what we can to achieve

that ideal condition for us. In time, and with faith and our

unrelenting effort, to be with God is not only achievable, but

something that can become a stable state of life for us. Again, let’s

remember that we are actually meant for that state of life.

            We can be sure that on the part of God, everything is made

available, so that whatever difficulty and problem we have in this

life, we would know how to leverage them to our real and lasting

advantage, and not just some false and passing advantage.

            Obviously we have to do our part. In fact, we have to

exhaust all human means to resolve whatever difficulties and problems

we have. But knowing that our best would never be enough, we should

never forget that there is God, our Father, our Creator, who began

something good in us and who will also be the one to finish, complete

and perfect everything in us. (cfr. Phil 1,6)

            We have to strengthen our conviction on this wonderful

truth of our faith. We should not allow ourselves to be dominated by

sadness, much less, despair over some weakness, mistakes, failures,

blunders and sins that can mark our earthly sojourn.

            While it’s true that our initial reaction to these

negative things can unavoidably be one of sadness, let us not stay

long there. We have to immediately recover our true dignity as

children of God. Being a father, God would always understand and

forgive us.

            God will never give up on us. He will do everything to

help and save us. As St. Paul would put it in his Letter to the

Romans: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all,

how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

(8,32)

            So, let’s not waste precious time lamenting or feeling bad

about our difficulties, problems, failures, etc. What we have to do is

to go back to Christ as soon as we can. As some people would say,

“Just come home. Everything will be all right, whatever your condition

is.”

            God will always welcome us. He will always offer us

whatever help is needed. He is able to give us the solution and relief

even to those difficulties and problems that do not have human or

natural solutions anymore.

            Obviously, in all this, we have to learn to suffer, since

suffering is inevitable in our life. Suffering can be a more genuine

and meritorious sign of love which is what should animate our whole

life here on earth.

            To learn to suffer, we obviously have to look closely at

the example of Christ, imitating him by having his spirit of love and

obedience to his Father, whatever the cost may be involved. This is

the secret of leveraging our difficulties, problems and all the other

negative things in our life!

Transmitting and receiving the proper spirit

IN all our ways and forms of communication, we should

realize ever more deeply that more than just words and ideas, no

matter how beautiful, wise and effective they are in human terms, we

should be communicating the proper spirit, whether we are in the

giving or the receiving end of the process.

            It’s the spirit that matters in the end and always. And

what spirit would that be? Well, the spirit that is proper to us, not

only as persons but also as children of God. In other words, what we

have to transmit and receive in all our communications is the spirit

of God. Again, not just words and ideas, not just our own desires and

intentions.

            Transmitting and receiving the spirit of God, to be sure,

do not do away with the spirit that is proper to us as a human person.

In fact, we should try our best that our words and ideas meet the

highest standards possible that our humanity can give to them.

            Yes, we have to learn to be as articulate and eloquent as

possible, persuasive and convincing with the way we present and

deliver our words and ideas, and with the way we delineate our desires

and intentions.

            But all that effort to achieve those human standards

should be properly animated by the ultimate spirit that is proper to

us. And that could only be the spirit of God, since whether we are

engaged only in some mundane business, we continue always to be

children of God, meant to share in the life of God not only in heaven,

which is our definitive state, but also here on earth where our

definitive destiny is being made and developed.

            Remember those words of Christ, “What does it profit a man

if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul.” (Mk 8,36) We can

take those words to mean that whatever communication we do, whether we

are in the giving or receiving end, should always uphold the essential

priority of the soul that needs to channel the spirit of God over

whatever worldly advantage we can make in our earthly affairs.

            In concrete terms, while we have to do our best in

preparing what we have to communicate or in preparing to receive what

will be communicated to us, we should realize that it is Christ that

should be in the middle of all of this business. Let’s not lose sight

of this most important aspect of our communications. Otherwise, we may

be gaining the whole world, but losing our soul.

            Channeling Christ in all our communication processes,

whether we are in the giving or receiving side, is what would comprise

as the proper intention we ought to have. It’s not only about making

business, making some profit, achieving some effectiveness in our

earthly duties.

            It’s all about channeling Christ. In all our

communications, the constant net effect should be that as much as

possible, everyone gets closer to God, gets to praise and love God

more.

            Said in another way, the constant net effect in all our

communications should be that everyone grows in what truly is

essential to us: our holiness, our sanctification, our becoming more

and more like God through Christ in the Holy Spirit.

            This means that more than anything else, we should be

motivated and supported all the way by our faith, hope and charity,

something that can only take place if we have a functioning life of

piety, of prayer and sacrifices, of frequent recourse to the

sacraments and of the unending effort to wage ascetical struggle,

developing virtues, fighting temptations and sin, etc.

            Thus, when we in the giving side, we will always do things

with charity and compassion even if we have to be forceful. When we

are in the receiving side, we will always get the message of Christ

even if the messenger messes it up with his weaknesses and errors.