Reflection on Discernment

I went to a Jesuit recollection yesterday.  The reco focused about Discernment. What struck me was it emphasized that if we are to discern, we do it in a period of tranquility.  Tranquility is defined as a disposition free from stress or emotion.  We do not decide at the height of our emotions, like coming from a spiritual high of a retreat or being in a state of depression.  When things normalize or in tranquility, we are able to make a sound judgement in weighing our options, using our all of human faculties (our mind, heart, experiences, situations, advice from others, our practical considerations).  This is yet a tentative discernment, because the final test of discernment is Discernment of Spirits. This is when God allows us to feel peace if our chosen option is His will. This is now beyond our faculties, but more of God speaking to us through our spirit. There will be times when the people around us are disappointed, yet we feel inner peace.  We are also affirmed because we are happy in that choice, although the world may not be agreeable.

Let us continue to discern for God's will. Let His peace reign in our hearts!

Be a Community Helper

Today, my 4 year-old son had an assignment to go to school dressed up as a Community Helper.  We thought of many things; doctor, fireman, police among others. We ended up with...musician. So Sev brought to school all his musical instruments; a flute, a ukulele, a toy xylophone, and a small bongo. Although being a musician is not the typical concept of a community helper, but then i thought that if no one actually wrote songs or played music for the community, then we would be like robots without artistry, expression, and emotion. Without musicians, then we would have not much entertainment (clean entertainment, that is) that can relax us from a hectic day and refresh us for the next. So we figured, a musician is a community helper.

Are you a community helper? How is the product you are selling or your field of study benefiting the society? More so, are you helping build a Christ-centered society?  I believe that whatever profession or business we are in, we can all be community helpers.

But then, let us not also be blind if we know what we are doing destroys community.  There might be things we are involved in that are environmental hazards and yet we are more concerned of profit.  What are the values that our work or product promote?  Are these products helping others become better people?  Are we justly compensating workers?

As community helpers, we are concerned with justice, love, and peace. 

Justice according to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church 201 (CSDC) states, "According to its most classical formulation, it consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor ." As a community helper, we give what is due.

When we do things out of love for neighbor, we are building a "civilization of love." Again, from the Church's Social Doctrine (580), "Christians must be deeply convinced witnesses of this, and they are to show by their lives how love is the only force that can lead to personal and social perfection, allowing society to make progress towards the good."  Are we helping the community out of love or out of mere duty?

Peace is the fruit of justice and love (CSDC, 494).  Without justice and love, there will surely be crime, violence, and the failure of peace which is war.  Therefore, as Community Helpers who work towards a Christ-centered society, we carry justice and love as our virtue and our posture.  May our day-to-day work lead us to God's will for our society.

Be Prepared

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, "Peace and security," then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

Yesterday, I was in a meeting of Climate Change Congress of the Philippines (CCCP) to organize a La Nina Summit. The main goal is to help individuals, families, and communities prepare for heavy rains causing floods, just like the one in Ondoy. The problem is that we only react when the flood has arrived. We need to be prepared anytime disaster strikes.

In the same way, it is a challenge for us to always be prepared spiritually. When my dad died last December of 2009, during his wake, the people in the room beside us was mourning for a 31 year old man who died in a sudden accident. I realize that I have to do the following: make peace, confess regularly, make everyday count.

Peace is something every person values. It is important that relationships are restored. We have to learn to forgive and ask forgiveness. Peace is a gift of grace. It is usually not something that we earn or are worthy of. It is freely given. Even if the person whom we need to forgive logically does not deserve it, we give it out of the grace of God's love.

When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Matthew 18:24-33

Confessing regularly helps us to become better Christians. It is an indicator of humility and sincerity in living out as a Christian. We regularly seek for the Lord's forgiveness and strive not to repeat our sins until good works become habitual. This definitely helps us to be prepared for the Lord.

Making everyday count, is something that people who have terminal illnesses like cancer, advocate to the rest of us. They see the value of life and what they can still do. We don't have to wait to be struck with sickness for us to realize that each day is a gift and that each day we can bring people closer to the Lord. We may have to evaluate our priorities. We may have to ask ourselves, "Am I storing up riches that will not last? Or Am I storing up riches in heaven that is eternal?" Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mark 10:21).

The famous Boy Scout motto suggests, "Be Prepared." I believe this is the kind of posture that the Lord wants us to have in our daily living. We always have to be alert and vigilant in pursuing the work of the Lord while we are on earth. Let us make peace, confess regularly, and make everyday count all for the glory of His name.