By Fr. Roy Cimagala
WE have to be most wary of this particular predicament that, sad to say, is becoming more common these days. This is not about the usual and normal aging and deterioration we can expect as we grow old after a life of very active work. This is about the aging and deterioration of our spirit that is supposed to be always new and young, despite the aging and deterioration of our bodily organism.
This aging and deterioration of the spirit can even affect young people who in spite of their bodily health and general good human condition find themselves sad, depressed, indifferent, tired, practically zapped. They seem to find no more meaning and purpose in their life. They could not get any motive to move on. In the worst scenario, they even commit suicide.
Fortunately, I also have met old people who, in spite of their depleted strength and vitality, continue to show zip and a zest for life precisely because of their healthy spiritual life. They are cheerful, optimistic, positive and constructive in their views and reactions to things. They even are eager to lend a hand when they can.
We really have to take care of our spirit which can only be properly animated if it is vitally engaged with the spirit of God.
We come from God and we belong to him, meant to share in his very life, starting here on earth, until we reach our definitive state in heaven.
Our spirit should not just be pegged on the spirit of the flesh or of the world only. These spirits cannot go the distance.
Neither should our spirit be allowed to be unclear about what inspires and animates it, because that condition would just expose it to the most vicious of spirits, which is the spirit of the devil.
The earlier this basic truth about ourselves is known and acted on, the better for us. Thus, it is recommended that right when a person is still a child, he is introduced to the world of religion, of faith, of the spiritual and the supernatural, of God. Of course, this has to be done in a gradual way, depending on the capacity of the child.
As soon as the child can understand it, he has to be taught that he has to enter into a personal relationship with God who is everything to us, showing him some practical ways of how this relationship is established and developed—through prayer, little sacrifices, the sacraments. They have to be taught to know more about God through the appropriate books, and to develop love and devotion to him.
Some people might ask and even complain that this might be treating children improperly, since children do not know yet the full meaning of all these acts. They may even go to the extent of accusing us that we are compromising the freedom of these children.
My standard reply to these points is that we give children what they need even if they do not ask for it. They may even resist and not appreciate what they actually need, as in the case of the little child who refuses to eat because he wants to play, or he just is not interested, etc. But we would always try to find ways to make the child eat, because he needs to eat.
We have to realize that the greatest need of man is God.
So, we should introduce God to everyone as early as possible and practicable. That way the child can already have some familiarity with religion and the different acts of piety which can always be developed and enriched as he grows older.
In that way, he will realize early on that he needs his spiritual soul to be animated by the spirit of God to keep himself going regardless of the circumstances and conditions in his life.
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Only Christ should shine out. This was a point strongly and repeatedly pounded on me and my batch during our pre-ordination seminar many years ago. Only Christ should shine out in our ministry. We have to learn to pass unnoticed, avoiding grabbing the focus of public attention from the real light of the world.
When we say Mass and administer the sacraments, when we preach, when we make public appeal for some aid, and even when we go around, etc., we should try our best that it is Christ whom people see, hear, appreciate, give glory and thanks to. It’s not us, the priests, who at best can only be ministers of Christ and, as such, have the grave duty to show and give Christ to the people.
This is, of course, a tough task to do, for which we, priests, have been given the sacramental grace, to show that more than us and our human powers, it is Christ who is actually doing things through us. We, priests, should always be aware that we are living and doing things mainly in the spiritual and supernatural sphere of the world.
But, obviously, to that grace the priests should correspond as best that we can, always purifying our intention, always conscious of who we are and of whom we are representing and ministering, always aware of our need to use all the means to fit the role given to us as perfectly as possible.
This will require of the priests some relevant skills of how to present oneself to the people and manage to show Christ, how to lead in order to serve, how to follow Christ closely in order to lead the people.
For this, priests should just try our best to know how to interpret and play out that indication given by Christ that we have to be clever like serpents yet innocent like doves. (cfr. Mt 10,16) We have to learn how to be both servants and leaders at the same time.
We have to know how to make full use of our human powers at the exclusive service of showing and giving Christ to the people.
We have to be wary of the danger to taint our intentions with some ulterior motives of wanting to gain some human glory for ourselves.
This is the usual danger of those who are more gifted in terms of intelligence, talents, speaking prowess, etc. They have to do everything to be properly guarded against this danger, going the extra mile to hide and disappear even as they give their all in their ministry.
They have to go deep in the virtue of humility and obedience, having no other desire than to be like Christ who emptied himself completely by becoming man being God, and by offering his life on the cross for the sins of mankind.
They should have no other desire than to serve and to offer their lives as a ransom for sins of men. That is why the Pope, who is the very Vicar of Christ here on earth, describes himself as the “Servant of servants.”
Definitely, this will require a lot of training and discipline. But the effort needed will always be worthwhile and will surely redound to the good of all. It will be an effort that will not go unnoticed by Christ himself who cannot be outdone in generosity.
Let us hope and pray that every priest will always exude the identity and presence of Christ wherever he is, whatever he is doing, and especially when he administers the sacraments. This is not a pipe dream, an exaggeration. Christ has given the priest everything for the priest to represent Christ sacramentally. The priest just has to do his part.
What a beautiful world we would have if every priest truly becomes “another Christ” as head of the Church!
E-mail: roycimagala@gmail.com
