With these words, Christ is clearly telling us to take
utmost care of the sacred things in our life. We have to be most
careful with the possibility of trivializing the sacred things that,
sad to say, is becoming a common occurrence. We have to distinguish
between the sacred and the mundane, and even if both categories come
from God, there however are distinctive qualities of each one that
should be respected and never confused.
The sacred are those things that are related directly to
God—his words, his sacraments, his Church. We cannot treat them as if
we are simply handling ordinary, worldly things like our work, our
business, our politics, etc.
With the sacred, all we have to do is utmost reverence,
putting all our faith in them, knowing that through natural and human
elements, we are touching the supernatural dimension of our life, we
are touching the very life of God.
This reality should never be lost in our consciousness.
Whenever we get involved in the sacred, as when we attend Mass or go
to confession, or read the gospel, etc., we need to make many acts of
faith, hope and charity to be able to capture the wonderful reality of
being intimate with God.
We have to develop as early as possible a sense of the
sacred in our life. We can develop this sense of the sacred when we
remember that in any liturgical act, for example, no matter how
handicapped by our human limitations and mistakes, we are actually
doing and participating in the act of Christ, the act of the Church
with all the saints and angels and the Christian faithful.
It is our most social act, because it is a concrete
articulation of the communion of saints that we are meant to live as
Christian believers even while here on earth. We anticipate heaven on
earth with the liturgy.
It is communion of life and love, and not just something
external, something social or political. It goes deep into our heart
where we become one in Christ in spite of our human differences and
conflicts.
We have to be more aware of the danger of familiarity with
the sacred things and install the necessary defenses against it. More
than that, we have to aggressively cultivate the art of always being
amazed at God and at all his works. That should be the proper state
for us to be in.
We have to understand, though, that this abiding state of
amazement that we should try to develop is not a matter simply of
sensations. Of course, it would be good if we can always feel amazed
and in awe. But given the limitations of our bodily organism, we
cannot expect that to happen all the time.
The ideal abiding state of amazement is more a matter of
conviction, of something spiritual, moral and supernatural. It should
be the result of grace that is corresponded to generously and
heroically by us.
It is a state of amazement that sooner or later, of course,
will have some external manifestations like an aura of serenity and
confidence even in the midst of great trials and suffering. It will
most likely show itself in the lilt in one’s voice, optimism in his
reactions to events, a smile, a warm word of praise and encouragement
to others, etc.
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