“Teach me your paths, my God”

THAT’S a beautiful psalm (25,4b) that should remind us that we need to be aware that it is God’s continuing, loving, merciful and effective providence that guides us toward our ultimate and real goal in life. 

 It would be good if we can repeat this psalm often so we can protect ourselves from our strong tendency to think that we can just depend on our own selves to navigate life’s complexities and steer through life’s challenges. 

 For this, we need to humble ourselves and always feel the need for God’s guidance. We have to be guarded against our tendency, especially when we happen to be quite gifted, to think that we can depend mainly, if not solely, on our own human powers. 

 We should give full trust on God’s providence because even if our plans would look uncertain and our actions appear to only yield failures, God’s purpose for us will always be established. With him, everything will always work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28) 

 We should strengthen our belief that nothing escapes divine providence. As the creator and the cause of all things, God’s providence must include the preservation and guidance of all the creatures down to the smallest details. His guidance is not only about “big picture” outcomes, but about the ongoing order by which creatures reach their end. 

 But we have to understand also that God’s providence is not a controlling force that would nullify our freedom. Rather, he grounds the existence of all creatures on himself and guides them according to the nature he gives them. In short, God does not compete with his creatures. He considers them as instruments of his providence. And even if a creature acts contrary to his providence, his guidance cannot be stopped. 

 We should understand then that God’s providence is his continuing love for us. On our part, we should try our best to be always aware of his constant guidance over us, ever trusting it without allowing it to replace our responsibility. 

 This certainty of God’s constant guidance over us should enable us to face the complex and often confusing conditions of our life with hope and courage. We can face life’s unpredictability without panic. 

 We need to learn how to be discerning of God’s guidance over us. We have to realize that since God’s providence is “concrete and immediate,” our prayerful discernment should not only be general. We can bring our concrete decisions, fears and hopes to God who actually cares for the least things. 

 Again, a good attitude to assume in this regard is to continually ask God, “Teach me your paths, my God.” Especially when our plans appear to be uncertain, let us strengthen our trust in his providence. 

 In short, this beautiful psalm should remind us that we ought to have a humble dependence on God, seek concrete guidance for our conduct, reject counterfeit and often broad direction, expect ongoing formation that we always need, and submit ourselves to God’s authentic teaching. 

 Indeed, we just cannot teach ourselves about how to live. It is God who is the proper teacher of how to live. And as mentioned in the gospel, God’s paths differ from the big and wide ways that lead to ruin. (cfr. Mt 7,13-14) We have to make a moral and spiritual discernment that is distinct from just following what is popular and easy. 

 We also need to realize that asking God to teach us his ways means that it is a continuing process and that he teaches through revealed “ways” and not through some private improvisation.

Our need for a daily reset

GIVEN the obvious fact that we are easily trapped in our worldly condition, practically unmindful of the ultimate spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our life, we should feel the need for a daily reset so as to be properly anchored and directed to the ultimate goal of our life. 

 Yes, we are meant for keep a spiritual and supernatural bearing in our life here on earth. This is not only for some people. It is for everyone. We just have to help one another to develop this spiritual and supernatural bearing, since this is what is proper to us. 

 As persons with intelligence and will, we cannot help but have a spiritual character in our life. With these natural endowments, we are meant to enter into the spiritual world of ideas and rationality, of cognition and love that goes beyond the material and sensible aspects of our life. 

 And as children of God, created in God’s image and likeness, we are meant to enter into an intimate relation with him, which cannot be other than supernatural, since God is beyond our nature. 

 This is always possible since God gives us his grace, and we, on our part, with our spiritual endowment of intelligence and will, are enabled to be elevated to the supernatural order of God when we, with the proper disposition of humility, faith and charity, correspond to God’s grace. That’s when we enter into the supernatural world of God. 

 This basic truth of our life should always be on our mind, and should animate all our thoughts, words and deeds. We need to pause from time to time to allow this truth to take hold of our mind and heart, and of our life, in general, using the appropriate means. 

 We really have to learn how to deal with our spiritual and supernatural world because that is where the real action is and where our ultimate goal is. That’s where we are truly defined, where our radical dignity is established. That’s where we can have our encounter with God. 

 For us, the material and natural world is nothing if not related to the spiritual and the supernatural world. Our material and natural world can only have meaning and purpose if related to the spiritual and the supernatural, that is, if related ultimately to God. 

 In this regard, we should have some working plan and strategy, consisting of some practices of piety, like prayer, presence of God, recourse to the sacraments, etc., so that we can keep that spiritual and supernatural bearing even as we immerse ourselves in the things of this world, as we should. 

 To be sure, there is some kind of awkwardness involved at the beginning of this effort. In this, we should not be surprised, since what is involved requires us to go beyond, but not against, our natural self. We have to train our natural powers to align themselves or to correspond properly to the spiritual and supernatural means that are needed. 

 Again, a lot of humility is needed here so that the powers of the divine gifts of faith, hope and charity can operate and lead us to where God himself wants us to go. Let’s remember that as creatures of God, let alone, adopted children of his, meant to share his life and nature, we are supposed to follow the guidance of God through his providence. 

 This daily reset can be done right at the beginning of the day, as we wake up, when we remind ourselves of who we really are, what our ultimate goal in life is, what means we can use, and always reminding ourselves that God is constantly guiding us.

A calm and gentle disposition

WITH the increasingly toxic air we are having these days, due mainly to rabid political influencers who shamelessly force their views on us as if they are the only ones who are correct, we need to strongly remind ourselves that it is all worthwhile to develop a calm and gentle disposition. Many benefits can be drawn from such effort. 

 For one, it would help us to smoothly handle, if not avoid, stressful situations. It creates an environment that is soothing, calming and relaxing. Indeed, we can expect a more serene and idyllic setting and tone. Nowadays, with increasing cases of people with some mental or psychological issues, it would truly be helpful for us to cultivate a calm and gentle disposition. 

 Another advantage of this kind of disposition is the fostering of better relationships among ourselves. When we are calm and gentle, people most likely would feel more comfortable around us. Mental reservations, animosities and other hidden forms of critical thoughts would somehow disappear or at least minimized. Charity, compassion, empathy, etc. would be better lived. 

 Still more, a calm and gentle disposition facilitates clearer thinking and better judgments. It would enable us to consider things under different aspects, broadening our views and moving beyond our unavoidable biases and prejudices. This way, we can manage to get out of our own entrapping world and to have a glimpse, at least, of the world outside. 

 It also cannot be denied that a calm and gentle disposition can truly improve our health, allowing us to lower our blood pressure and to be less prone to worries and anxieties. It would give us a drive and an energy that is purified and properly directed and pursued. 

 Definitely, a calm and gentle disposition would make us more resilient, able to adapt properly to the varying conditions of our life. When we are in good times, we can manage to remain humble and avoid being corrupted by vanity and the like. When are in bad times, we can manage to avoid discouragement and depression, and to keep on hoping, always thinking of alternative ways of coping with the situation. 

 To cultivate this kind of disposition, it would be good if we learn how to practice mindfulness and meditation which are powerful in calming our mind. Prayer, getting in touch with the ever almighty and merciful God would surely be helpful. 

 Taking regular deep breaths would also help, since these would slow down our heart rate. Doing regular physical exercises would also help in releasing tension and boosting our mood. 

 Yes, getting enough sleep is truly helpful. It acts as a way of recharging and refreshing ourselves, considering that during the day we would be confronted with all sorts of tasks, challenges and trials. In this regard, we should be careful when we are tempted to cut our sleep because of continual scrolling in the social media, a common sad phenomenon these days. 

 We can manage to develop a calm and gentle disposition if we train ourselves to focus on others, practicing empathy and kindness, thinking well of others in spite of their defects and other shortcomings, letting go of grudges and other negative thoughts. Of course, we should also take breaks and learn to relax, doing things that bring us joy. 

 But what is most important is to keep our spiritual life, our relation with God and with others healthy and properly nourished. We need to pray, practice some forms of self-denial, avail of the sacraments, wage continual ascetical struggle, developing virtues, etc.