Holiness, the real ecological concern

 I CONSIDER it an improvement in sensibility that many
people nowadays are concerned about ecology. Generations ago the
average dude paid no attention to ecological matters. Times have
definitely changed, for the better.

            Let´s do everything to develop this care for the
environment to its maximum potential, increasing our scientific
knowledge about our world, purifying it of false data that often are
presented as gospel truths, and cultivating the corresponding
attitudes and skills.

            We have to always hone up our skills of properly managing
our surroundings, ever thoughtful of how things are developing and
helping everybody else to cultivate the right attitude. In this area,
things can be very challenging. But they are not impossible.

            Perhaps, what can still make things perk up is to extend
that ecological sense to include not only climatic and environmental
concerns, but also and more importantly, moral and spiritual
interests.

            This part of ecology, let´s remind ourselves, is in fact
the ultimate and most crucial since it goes direct to the very heart
of our human development. In this regard, we have to be most eager to
attain the ability to mirror to everyone around us what is genuinely
true, good and beautiful.

            This can be summarized as the ability to mirror the holy,
sanctity being the integrated sum of all these qualities. We create
the most ideal environment when our mind and heart reflect God´s
goodness whatever may be the views, positions and situations we may
have in life.

            We have to remember that our mind and heart have God as
their proper, ultimate object, and because of God, also the others.
Our minds and hearts should be filled with thoughts and desires to
please God and the others. This is how we mirror the holy and create a
good environment fit for all of us as children of God.

            We would be misusing if not abusing these spiritual powers
of ours if we engage them with something else, especially with our own
interests and concerns alone. Besides, such misuse would most likely
lead to painful divisions.

            We should not get lost in our differences and conflicts
with respect to our temporal or earthly affairs. While these
differences and conflicts cannot be avoided, we can always manage to
be good and understanding to one another. This is of course possible
only if we manage to refer things to God.

            Of course, we have to do all this with naturalness and
discretion, avoiding attracting unnecessary attention and creating
inhuman ways and lifestyles. Just the same, we should not shy from
this constant effort to emit goodness everywhere.

            Christ himself knew how to show his divinity, among
others, through the miracles he performed. But amazing as the miracles
were, he tried to be discreet about them by telling the persons
involved not to announce the miracles to the public but rather to
report to the priests. Of course, we know that many of these people
went out announcing the miracles to all.

            In spite of being misunderstood, Christ kept his goodwill
to all, resorting to his righteous anger only when he had to declare
what was morally wrong with the people´s behavior.

            The example of St. Paul can also shed light as to how we
ought to mirror the holy. He reached the point of saying that the
people, we, should be followers of him as he was a follower of Christ.
(cfr 1 Cor 11,1)

            In another occasion, he boldly told the Thessalonians that
he was giving them a pattern for them to imitate. (2 Thes, 3,9). He
was not ashamed to put himself the model for everyone to follow.

            There´s a need to cultivate this attitude. Sad to say,
many succumb to the false sense of humility of not wanting to be a
model of holiness for the others. And yet, irony of ironies, many
crave to be an idol to the others insofar as good looks or fashion or
sport accomplishments are concerned. In these areas, they can be very
daring and shameless.

            With all the confusing elements of our modern world, we
have to convince ourselves that we need to mirror the holy, that such
responsibility is not only possible but also practicable, complete
with the sense of modesty we would like to have in fulfilling it.

            In a business meeting, for example, where some contentious
issues would be discussed, the duty to mirror the holy can mean having
a firm grip on the emotions so that the discussion can stick to the
essential aspects without getting stranded in the hot incidentals.

Conquering familiarity and complacency

THIS is the common concern of all of us who in one way or
another enter into some commitment, be it marriage, priesthood, etc.
This is especially so if the commitment is of the lifelong type, like
a vocation.

            It’s understandable that with the flow of time, we fall
into some familiarity, lukewarmness, routine, complacency in our
commitments. We should not make a big fuss over it. We are quite aware
that “familiarity breed contempt,” a phenomenon that should not be
surprising given our wounded nature. Obviously, we have to do
something about it.

            In the Book of Revelation, an apocalyptic book with a
dreadfully prophetic character but this time with a dash of hope, we
are told about the predicaments of the seven churches, actually a
figure of the universal church, meaning, all of us.

            It describes the good aspects of each of these churches,
as well as their weakness and predicaments. To the Church of Ephesus,
for example, the Apostle John said: ‘I know your works, your toil and
your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear evil men…But I have
this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”
(2,1)

            To the Church of Sardis, he said: “I know your works. You
have the name of being alive, and you are dead.” (3,1) And to the
Church of Laodicea, he said: “I know your works. You are neither cold
nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.”
(3,15-16)

            As I said, it’s not good to get stuck with the negative
things of our life, like our usual penchant to get too familiar with
people and with our commitments, or to fall into spiritual and moral
lukewarmness and complacency.

            We have to learn to grapple with these eventualities and
learn to move on, always relying on God’s grace and assurance. He has
already given us everything so that we can be what we ought to be, we
can do what we are supposed to do, we can be faithful to our
commitment not only in a dragging way but rather with great zeal.

            We just have to do our part. Our attitude should be that
we just have to begin and begin again. We have to learn how to renew
ourselves, or how to have another conversion since conversion is going
to be a lifelong necessity for us.

            This is how we can distance ourselves from the constant
threat of familiarity and complacency. What we need to do is to
continue, without let up, having to begin and begin again. This is a
practical law of life that we should apply in our daily affairs. Let’s
not get too sentimental and wait for some strong inspiration before we
move. With a simple act of the will, let’s just do it—that of having
to begin and begin again.

            We need this attitude and practice, first of all, when we
commit a mistake. We can always begin again, because even if we have
to contend with the consequences of our mistakes, we can always count
on God’s mercy and the power of atonement and reparation that always
produces beautiful effects.

            We have to begin and begin again because we are also
subject to our continuing tendency to be lukewarm.  That’s an
undeniable condition we have to contend everyday. Besides, we easily
get distracted from our proper goal.

            And lastly, we have to begin and begin again because in
spite of our best efforts, our ultimate goal to be with God forever
always beckons us. Thus, in the Book of Revelation, we read the
relevant passage: “He that is holy, let him be sanctified still.”
(22,11)

            This attitude of having to begin and begin again makes the
need for constant renewal attainable, and not left simply as a mere
desire. It keeps us going, fanning the love that is at the core of our
being, until that love gets consummated when with God, we will always
be new, never to grow old.

            This does not mean that we have to do some extraordinary
effort to begin again. As I said, a simple act of the will is enough,
carrying it out with simplicity and humility, in silence, and
everything will be different because the colors and the passions of
love will again start to appear.

            If we are prompt and consistent in this attitude and
practice, we can manage to nullify the workings of familiarity,
lukewarmness and complacency.

Call to generosity

“WITHOUT cost you have received. Without cost you are to
give.” (Mt 10,8) For sure, with these words of Christ, we are strongly
reminded to be generous, to give ourselves completely to God and to
others, sparing and keeping nothing for ourselves, because God has
been generous with us. He gave nothing less than himself to us. And he
wants to share what we have with everybody else.

            Thus, in Christ’s commissioning of his disciples that
should include all of us, his believers and followers, he encourages
us not to worry so much about what to have or what to bring. “Do not
take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey,
or a second tunic, or sandals or walking stick. The laborer deserves
his keep.”

            We need to develop a keen sense of generosity and
self-giving that is also a result of detachment. Let’s never forget
that whatever we have comes from God who wants us to work for the
common good. Thus, we hear St. Paul saying, “What do you have that you
did not receive?” (1 Cor 4,7)

            We have been reminded of this need to cultivate generosity
in the gospel. “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one
may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions,” Christ said.
(Lk 12,15)

            We are told not to lay up treasures for oneself but rather
to be rich toward God, that is, to be generous with God and with
everybody else. Avarice, hoarding, simply pursuing our self-interest
and personal welfare are actually inhuman, let alone, unchristian.

            It’s also good for us to remember that there is such a
thing as “universal destination of earthly goods.” That’s an official
part of our Christian doctrine. “In the beginning God entrusted the
earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take
care of them, master them by labor, and enjoy their fruits. The goods
of creation are destined for the whole human race.” (CCC 2402)

            Even if there is also such a thing as right to private
ownership, that right is always subordinated and is supposed to work
for this more fundamental truth about the universal destination of
goods.

            Of course, this call to generosity should always go with
prudence that should be exercised both for the giver and the receiver.

            To be sure, to be truly generous does not mean to be
extravagant and wasteful, just giving out dole-outs that spoil people
more than encouraging them to be more responsible for themselves and
others.

            We have to make sure that our generosity does not create a
culture of mendicancy, entitlements and dependence. This is where
prudence has to enter in developing this virtue of generosity.

            A prudent generosity gives not only things but his own
self without compromising his own welfare such that one becomes a
problem to his family or to society. It makes sure that what he gives
becomes fruitful and productive, following what Christ said once:
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And
from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be
asked.” (Lk 12,48)

            It’s a generosity that helps people to be responsible,
self-reliant and productive. It knows how to live the spirit of
poverty and detachment even if it exerts all effort to generate more
money not only for oneself but more for the others, for the common
good. It’s a generosity that knows how to make business and is very
enterprising not so much for the profit as for attaining the capacity
to help the others.

            A person who is truly generous and prudent is not afraid
to become a billionaire but is not corrupted by money. He is aware of
the requirements of the common good, giving preferential attention to
the poor and needy. He knows how to handle the goods of the earth that
are meant for universal destination even as the right to private
property is also respected.

            His generosity is not based on sheer sentimentalism. It’s
not sporadic and reactive, but abiding and anticipative. It’s not
merely theoretical and intentional, but practical and delivered in
concrete terms.

            A truly generous and prudent person is always mindful and
thoughtful of the others. He would try his best to know what others
need, and not just wait for these needs to come to his attention. He
is always thinking, planning and strategizing so that the requirements
of social justice, solidarity and charity are met.