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.