Compassion all the way

THE Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, celebrated on February 2, offers that precious lesson about humility, a fundamental virtue that engenders and enables us to do a lot of good things, like being compassionate all the way to offering even one’s life for others. 

 We are reminded of this truth of our faith in the second reading of the Mass of the Feast when from the Letter to the Hebrews it is said that “because he (Christ) himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” (Mk 6,18) 

 Yes, we would only know how to be truly compassionate all the way with everyone without exception when like Christ we would be willing to suffer all kinds of tests and humiliations. Compassion without these tests and humiliations could not go the distance. It would be a compassion that would highly be conditioned and limited. 

 We should try our best to follow Christ’s example of emptying himself all the way to the cross. (cfr. Phil 2,6-8) Only then can we truly consider ourselves as “another Christ,” if not “Christ himself” as we should be, since we are patterned after him. 

 Christ went all the way to make himself like sin without committing sin if only to save us. (2 Cor 5,21) In other words, we should be willing, as one saint articulated it, to go all the way to the gates of hell if only to save a soul. 

 This kind of attitude would certainly require a tremendous amount of humility, of self-denial, so that the full force of faith, hope and charity, of a compassion that goes all the way, can take place. 

 We have to be wary of the gripping effect of today’s dominant culture that promotes, both subtly and openly, a lifestyle of self-indulgence. Instead, one deep desire we should have is that of making as some kind of default mode that attitude of always thinking of the others, wishing them well all the time and doing whatever we can to help. 

 It’s obviously not easy to do, but we can always try. With God’s grace and with our persistent effort, we can little by little and day by day hack it, such that it becomes second nature to us to think and feel for the others. That’s what compassion is all about. We just have to learn to be tough to take on whatever effort is needed. We have to learn to be all things to all men. 

 Compassion starts in the heart, in our thoughts and desires. In this level, there is no limit in what we can do. Obviously, when we try to translate these prayers, thoughts and desires into action and material things, we can be greatly limited. But insofar as prayers and sacrifices are involved, the possibilities are unlimited. 

 We need to examine ourselves more deeply to see if indeed we are always thinking, praying and wishing others well. We have to be wary of our tendency to let our thoughts and desired be dictated only by self-interest, usually done in a most subtle but effective way. 

For this, we have to do regular examination of conscience. For this, we have to be willing to complicate our life. There surely will be some need for adjustments in our attitudes, in the way we understand things and view different kinds of people. We have to hone up our skills at versatility, which should not only be a matter of theatric performance but rather that of genuine love for God and for souls.

Sanctity and apostolate

THEY are supposed to go together always. The universal call to holiness is also a call to do apostolate. Said in another way, to be holy or to be a saint is also to be an apostle. The quest for sanctity and the duty to do apostolate actually have a mutual relationship. We can only be truly holy when we are apostolic. And we can only be apostolic when are holy in the first place. 

 In the Gospel of St. Mark (6,7-13), when Christ summoned his 12 apostles to send them in pairs to different places and gave them authority over unclean spirits, we are reminded that we too are all called to be apostles, to be missionaries, having the same desire and mission of Christ. 

 Have you ever wondered why Christ appeared to just choose his apostles at random? He would just pass by a certain place, and upon seeing someone, he would just say, “Come, follow me.” And wonder of wonders, the person called would just follow him without any question. In fact, it is said that the person called would just leave everything behind (“relictis omnibus”). 

 I guess the only plausible answer to that question is that Christ had all the right to do so, and the person called also had the duty to respond accordingly, because in the final analysis, all of us are actually meant to be an apostle. That is to say, to be some kind of ambassador, a representative of Christ on earth. 

 At bottom, the answer is because we are supposed to be like Christ, another Christ, if not Christ himself (“alter Christus,” and even “ipse Christus”). All of us are patterned after Christ, and so we cannot avoid being involved in the mission of Christ which is the salvation of all mankind. 

 We need to process this truth of our faith so we can start to conform our life to it. Truth is we have to learn to talk about God with everyone and in every situation. Obviously, we have to do this properly, that is, in ways that are respectful of our human nature and condition, weakened as it is by sin. 

 Let’s never forget that the best way to drive people away from God and from religion in general is when we bring the topic of God and the spiritual, moral and supernatural realities in an inappropriate way. 

 We have to learn to adapt and attune ourselves to the concrete conditions of persons, taken individually and collectively. In this, God himself has shown us the way. He made a long preparation before the coming of his son. 

 And when the time came, what is known as the fullness of time, the son became man and went through the whole process of adapting himself to the human condition, and this pursued all the way to the cross. 

 We have to learn to be very patient and creative in carrying out this duty to do apostolate. We have to be ready to be misunderstood and humiliated, and yet we ought to persevere, preaching in season and out of season, like what St. Paul once said. 

 We have to understand that everyone, by virtue of his sheer humanity and much more, his Christianity, is called to be a missionary, and that he does not need to go to distant lands because his immediate environment already needs a more effective, down-to-earth evangelization. 

 Yes, even the ordinary guy in an office, the farmer, the businessman, the politician, the entertainers, artists and athletes, are called to be missionaries. That’s simply because as persons with a prominently social dimension in our life, we have to be responsible for one another.

Just be quick to say sorry

“LORD, forgive the wrong I have done.” That’s from Psalm 32. We can make use of this psalm to express our intention for forgiveness because we all know that despite our effort to be faithful and all that, we somehow manage to fall. 

 We should not stay long feeling bad and guilty because of our failures and sins. While God is not happy with mistakes, he is ever quick to offer us forgiveness if we would just turn to him asking for it. As another psalm would put, “His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime.” (30,5) 

 Our sinfulness, defects and errors should not separate us from God. If anything at all, they should bring us closer to him, assured that God’s mercy will never be lacking. 

 These two realities about our sinfulness and God’s mercy always should go together. We should always strengthen our conviction about the helpful relationship these two should have with each other in our life. 

 Whenever we feel the sting of our weaknesses and sinfulness, together with their antecedents and consequences, their causes and effects, let’s never forget to consider also God’s mercy that is always given to us, and, in fact, given to us abundantly. 

 What we have to avoid is to get stuck with one while ignoring the other. Our sinfulness should be viewed in the context of divine mercy. And vice-versa: God’s mercy should be regarded in the context of our unavoidable sinfulness. 

 And from there, let us develop the unshakable conviction that no matter what sins we commit, no matter how ugly they are, there is always hope. God’s mercy can take on anything. 

 Let’s strengthen our conviction that Christ has a special attraction to sinners, that he is ever willing to forgive us as long as we show some signs of repentance that he himself, through his grace, will stir in us. 

 Let’s play the part of Peter who, after denying Christ three times, realized his mistake and wept bitterly in repentance. Christ looked kindly on him and forgave him and even made him the prince of the apostles. 

 Let’s avoid playing the part of Cain and Judas who, after committing their crimes, ran away instead of going back to God repentant. Of course, in saying this, I am not at all judging that they are in hell. That judgment belongs to God alone. 

 We just have to make sure that we do not get spoiled by God’s abundant mercy, because even if his love and mercy is eternal, his justice is never sacrificed. His mercy and justice always go together, in proportions, if we have to speak in human terms, that are just right. 

 Let us also hope that God’s mercy would rub off on us too. We have to learn to be forgiving, because Christ clearly told us that it is when we forgive others that we ourselves can also be forgiven. 

 “If you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.” (Mt 6,14-15) 

 We have to be clear that his injunction is meant for everyone, and not only for a few whom we may consider to be religiously inclined. That’s why when asked how many times we should forgive, he said not only seven times, but seventy times seven, meaning always. 

 So, let’s just be quick to say sorry when we commit a mistake, and we should mean it wholeheartedly!