We need to yearn for heaven

WITH the celebration of the Solemnity of Ascension of the

Lord, we are reminded that we have been given the hope of one day

reaching the place Christ has prepared for us.

            “If I go,” Christ told his disciples, “and prepare a place

for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may

be where I am.” (Jn 14,3)

            What wonderful words! What wonderful promise, a divine

promise that cannot disappoint us! We should do everything to make

these words ever alive in us so that our earthly life would always be

marked by optimism, joy, peace and confidence despite the many trials,

challenges, pains and sorrows here.

            St. Paul suggests to us the following action to take: “Set

your hearts on heavenly things, not the things that are on earth.”

(Col 3) We have to learn how to be properly focused here on earth,

practicing a certain detachment from earthly things even as we use

them and somehow also enjoy them. The earthly things should not

undermine our heavenly yearning. They should rather sharpen that

heavenly yearning.

            And this hope Christ gives us is made very doable by the

assurance that he is sending us the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth,

the Paraclete or Advocate who will always be with us to lead us to the

complete truth and to tell us of things to come.

            Before ascending to heaven, he reassured his disciples

that he will be with them, with us, until the end of time. (cfr Mt

28,20) But he also made the mandate that we have “to go and make

disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28,19)

            Yes, as we yearn for heaven, we should be keenly aware of

our duties here on earth. We need to see the organic connection

between our earthly life and duties and our heavenly yearning. We

cannot have one without the other.

            We have to do a lot of apostolate which would require of

us that we, first of all, should be driven with love for God.

Otherwise, our apostolate, our love for the others would have no steam

to run on.

            We need to see to it that our love for God always grows

everyday, so that our love for others would also correspondingly grow.

In this, we have to realize, first of all, how much God loves us. Only

then can we start loving him and loving the others.

            That is why we have to pray and consider the truths of our

faith that show us much more than what our senses can discover. A

person who does not pray is a person who cannot fall in love properly.

            That’s because a prayerless love is a love that is simply

driven by earthly elements that cannot last for long and cannot cope

with the demands of true love. It’s love that would be completely at

the mercy of earthly things.

            Yearning for heaven requires us to pray!

Be fruitful, be productive

EVERYDAY, we should be keenly aware that we need to be

fruitful and productive. That’s simply because even from the beginning

of our creation in Adam and Even, this has always been God’s will for

us.

            “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and

subdue it,” (Gen 1,28) God told our first parents, clearly outlining

his mandate to them. It’s a mandate that continues to be repeated up

to now. Christ himself said as much.

            In his parable of the three servants (cfr Mr 25,14-30), a

master clearly told each one to trade with the amount given to them.

He was happy with the first two who gained as much as was given. But

he was mad at the third one who did nothing with the amount given.

            We have to realize that God has already given us

everything that we need not only to survive but also to improve our

lot that ultimately translates into realizing the fullness of our

dignity as image and likeness of God, as children of his.

            In this regard, we truly should be most enterprising,

coming up with daily plans and strategies such that at the end of the

day, when we make our examination of conscience, we can show God that

we have gained something, and that the daily balance sheet of our

spiritual life is in the black, not in the red.

            We have to realize that the capitalization of this

enterprise cannot be any better. God has given us everything—life,

talents, intelligence, freedom, all kinds of capacities, his graces,

etc.

            And even if we commit mistakes or we fall into sin, no

matter how grave, his mercy is always available. It’s really just for

us to make use of what is all there for the taking.

            We have to assume the attitude of a shrewd businessman who

is keen in discovering new possibilities of making money and expanding

his business. Thus, in our spiritual life, in our relationship with

God and with others, we should never say enough in loving them.

            We have to increasingly go deeper, higher and beyond what

is already attained. We should avoid complacency and

self-satisfaction. Our attitude should reflect the lyrics of a Spiral

Staircase song: “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much

as tomorrow.”

            Of course, we should do all this with rectitude of

intention, otherwise whatever good we can derive in being enterprising

in our spiritual and moral life can spoil us. In this, sad to say, we

have many examples. We have to realize that the more we gain, the more

we have to give. “Freely you have received, freely give,” Christ said.

(Mt 10,8)

            Our fruitfulness and productivity should be on our love

for God and others. We need to have concrete benchmarks to tell us

whether we are growing in this most important purpose of our life.

            Are we growing in our faith, in our prayer, in our

eagerness to make sacrifices, in our concern for others through active

apostolate? These are some benchmarks we can use. There are a lot

more, in fact, endlessly more.

What to do with the new techs?

IT’S a question many people are asking nowadays. Some are

worried of the undeniable peripheral damage it has caused on many

people, especially the young. We cannot deny that forms of addiction,

of wasting time, of exposing users to moral dangers, are appearing.

These problems should be addressed promptly and drastically.

             Others are also worried that some people condemn these new

technologies as pure, unmitigated evil, and so they shy away from them

completely and tell others to do likewise. This position is not

realistic. It’s a cowardly attitude akin to the ostrich’s defense of

burying its head in the sand when a predator comes.

  

            Obviously, both groups have their valid reasons which

should be given due consideration. But I think the main thing to do is

to develop the sense and skill of using these new technologies

properly. This to me translates into how to achieve a sober and

intelligent use of these technologies.

  

            Yes, we have to avoid plunging into these modern wonders

guided only by our instincts, curiosities and the intoxicating

fascination for novelties. This attitude has no other end than

disaster. We need to discipline these elements and put them under the

direction of our reason enlightened ultimately by faith, hope and

charity.

  

            In practical terms, we have to see to it that we have a

clear and valid reason for using these technologies. And ultimately,

the clear and valid motive for using these techs is nothing other than

giving glory to God and serving others. If we are not aware and driven

by these motives, we would be pursuing things badly.

             The understandable spontaneous reaction of curiosity and

interest once we discover and explore these technologies should

immediately be reined in. It’s always worthwhile to practice some

restraint and moderation in their use so as not to be dominated and

led by mere blind impulses and urges. I would say that this is part of

what Christ said about having to deny oneself and carry the cross if

we have to follow him. (cfr. Mt 16,24)

  

            Part of this self-restraint and moderation is to be

contented with what we already have unless we have good reason to

explore into what we may consider as ‘new territories.’ There’s such

thing as disciplining and even controlling our unhinged curiosities

that can lead us to unnecessary complications in life.

             This attitude and action is never an infringement of our

freedom and our rights, as some people would claim. We can also freely

deny ourselves when we realize that there is a higher good that we

have to be more interested in pursuing and protecting.

             Freedom is never just a function of following our

instincts, feelings and ideas alone. It is essentially a function of

following the commandments of God who, in the first place, is the

author of our freedom.

  

            And if we follow by that rule, then our new technologies

should be used for God’s glory that is translated into loving him and

loving everyone. They are not meant simply to feed our own interests.