Hopefully heading toward the Good News

LET’S hope that all this discussion about what is real

news as differentiated from fake news would lead us to the conclusion

that the Good News of Christ’s gospel is the real news meant for all

men for all time and for all situations.

  

            It is what should always be proclaimed and upheld as we go

through the different events and issues of our life. It is what

contains the answers to all our questions, the solutions to all our

problems including the humanly insoluble ones. It is what gives

meaning and purpose to everything in our life. It is what relates

everything to God, our Creator and Father, our source and end.

   

            No amount of academic and intelligent discussion about

this issue can really help us to distinguish fake news from real news

if God, the gospel and everything the gospel teaches, like charity,

sincerity, justice, mercy, compassion, etc., are marginalized. Without

God, we would be left with a very limited and even subjective view of

reality.

  

            We need to overcome the bias that in our temporal and

mundane affairs any appeal to God and to religion is out of place.

Quite the contrary is true. With God at the center, we would know how

to discover, pursue, affirm and defend the truth in charity. Without

God, we would just be left to our own devices, our own

rationalizations.

   

            Let’s remember that God is the source of all truth. That’s

why Christ said, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My

voice.” (Jn 18,37) And that’s because Christ is the Son of God who

became man to redeem us. As such, he is the fullness of the revelation

of God, of the Truth, to all of us!

  

            And what would happen if we put God aside in the pursuit

of truth and enlightenment in our earthly discussions? Let’s quote

some words of St. Paul to give us an idea of would like take place.

  

            “Whoever teaches something different and does not agree

with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious

teaching,” he said, “is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a

morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.

  

            “From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,

and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds, who are

deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a means of gain.”

(1Tim 6,3-4)

              I consider these Pauline words as spot-on in describing

the toxic environment we have at the moment in the fields of politics

especially, and also of the media.

             We need to remember that if not inspired by the Good News

of Christ’s gospel, any piece of news cannot be part of the Good News.

It can only be a fake news, driven by worldly and suspicious motives.

If not inspired by the charity of God, then any fact, data or opinion,

no matter how objective and fair-sounding, cannot achieve the status

of the truth, since truth and charity are inseparable.

             Again let’s hope that the futility of our discussion of

issues without God at the center can lead us to the realization that

only with God can we be in the truth. It’s only with God can we have

real news and fair opinions.

Everything can be an occasion

FOR anything, that is. Since we are intelligent and free

beings, we can turn everything in our life into an occasion for good

or evil. But if we have the proper understanding of the purpose of our

life here on earth, we should realize that everything can be and

should be an occasion to know, love and serve God, or to pursue

holiness.

              Thus, whether in the twists and turns of our life we can

be considered as heroes or villains, winners or losers, successful or

failing, we have to always remember that we are all called to become

saints.

  

            And the nice thing about this is that all the events and

conditions in our life, in all their vast variety, can precisely be

turned into occasions to attain a degree of sanctity. Everything is

relatable to God. It’s a matter of how to react to them—whether we

react with faith and trust in God or we simply react in a purely human

way, reliant only on our human powers.

  

            We need to understand that all our human conditions,

whether good or bad, big or small, extraordinary or ordinary, etc.,

have already been covered by Christ’s redemptive life and do have the

potential to lead us to him. Even our mistakes and failures can lead

us to God.

  

            If our status is considered as humanly good, then let’s be

thankful to God, remain humble and focus on sharing as widely as

possible whatever good we have. If our status is otherwise, then let’s

turn to God just the same, perhaps asking for mercy, for more

blessing, and just try to be patient in going through unavoidable

inconveniences of the condition.

  

            We have to learn to see the hand of God behind every event

and circumstance of our life. We have to learn to discern his will and

the directions he is showing us through them. There’s always a reason

for everything in our life. And God knows how to make use of it.

  

            We should not be distracted from doing what is truly

essential in life, irrespective of the circumstances. This is the only

thing necessary in our life. All the others are the peripherals, the

instruments and the occasions to achieve this one thing necessary.

  

            Let’s remember that God is always around, his providence

is abiding, his interventions in our life are actually constant. We

just have to be more aware of this truth of our faith and correspond

to it as fully as possible.

  

            God can always derive something good even from our

mistakes. What is impossible to us is always possible to him. He can

write straight with crooked lines.

  

            Thus, St. Paul tells us: “Whether you eat or drink or

whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10,31) This

is what we have to learn to do always. Especially now when our world

is getting increasingly complicated, generating a lot of problems,

differences and conflicts among ourselves, this frame of mind is

getting more and more relevant.

  

            The good thing about all this is that we can remain calm

and more focused on what we are supposed to be doing. We will always

find meaning in everything, whether we are up or down in our earthly

condition.

Inspiring and motivating

THESE, I believe, are what are involved in educating and

forming the youth. Of course, we have to use all the necessary human

means, like giving classes and conducting exams, giving them talks,

suggestions and even corrections.

             But we should not forget that what truly matters is to

inspire and to motivate them. That’s because these go directly to the

soul of the individuals where the radical transformation and

development of a person takes place. It’s in the spiritual sphere

where the real action takes place.

  

            This can mean many things. For one, we should be available

to them as long and as often as necessary. We need to spend time with

them and cultivate real friendship and bonding. Given the way the

young people usually behave, we should be willing to ‘waste’ time with

them and to adapt ourselves to their language and ways. I am sure it

will be all worthwhile. It’s good investment.

  

            We have to give them good example in a consistent manner

all the time. Giving example is the best teacher. Just the same, we

should be ready and clear to tell or show them something to edify

them. There’s definitely a need for continuing catechesis so that true

values proper to our human and Christian dignity can slowly and

steadily sink in.

  

            We need to enter into their mind and heart, imparting with

gift of tongue the truths of our faith with respect to life in

general. This would include forming the proper attitude toward

religion, toward family and work, use of time, human sexuality,

virtues like hard work, order, prudence, humility, etc.

   

            The right strategies have to be employed, considering how

each person is—his temperament and character, his intellectual and

emotional capacity, his social and economic status, etc.

  

            We need to be quick to identify the problem areas in their

life. Many of these young people bear many doubts in their mind. They

lack self-esteem and often are unsure of their judgments and

decisions. There can be a lot of inconsistency in the many aspects of

life. Definitely, the unity of life is not yet there. It still has to

be developed.

   

            We have to teach them how to deal with their problems,

difficulties, challenges, temptations, failures and sins. Of course,

it goes without saying also that they need to be taught how to handle

their victories and successes. The young people usually over-react to

these events in their lives.

  

            We should also be quick to discern the potentials they

have. Each one, for sure, is born with some innate qualities that need

to be developed and actualized to the full. With respect to this, it

is important that we help them discover the concrete vocation each of

them has. This matter is very crucial because it is fundamental in

life, one that affects all the aspects of one’s life.

  

            This will definitely require a lot of effort and patience,

something whose source can ultimately come from God. Thus, we should

be generous in our prayers and sacrifices, study of the doctrine,

growing in the virtues and active in our own ascetical struggles,

recourse to the sacraments, etc. This is because we cannot give what

we do not have.

   

            Let’s hope that one day all of us who have young people

under our care be good and competent inspirers and motivators!