By Fr. Roy Cimagala
WE need to be clear about this. Our Christian faith is not optional in our life. It is neither relevant only to some affairs and concerns in our life. It should be the main guide in all our affairs, be they in matters of the sciences and technologies, of politics and business, of our professions, and of course, of religion and our spiritual life.
We are somehow reminded of this point in that gospel episode of the apostle Thomas who was kind of castigated by Christ for not believing that Christ had truly risen unless he would see Christ and the marks of the nails in his hands and feet, and of his pierced side. (cfr. Jn 20,24-29)
“Put your finger here and see my hands,” Christ told Thomas when he appeared again to his disciples. “Bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe,” he continued. To which Thomas could only say, “My Lord and my God!”
That was when Christ told Thomas, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
We have to be wary with our strong tendency to be guided only by what our senses and our understanding can show us. While they are useful, we should never forget that our life is not meant only to stay in the natural level. It is meant for a supernatural life with God, our Creator and Father, who wants us to be his image and likeness and sharers of his divine life and nature.
We need to humble ourselves to set us free from the grip of the purely natural in us so we can open ourselves to the supernatural life which God, through his grace, is ever willing to share with us.
Let us remember that our natural self cannot remain simply on the natural level. It has to choose between going north by entering the supernatural life with God, or going south by sinking into the infranatural level of the animals, not to mention, the bad spirits.
This choice that we have to make is due to the fact that in our earthly life we are actually being tested by God our Creator if we would choose to be like him and with him, as he wants us to be, or to be just by ourselves.
This test or choice is given to us in every moment and situation in our life. And to help us make the proper choice, God gives us the gift of faith that goes together with hope and charity.
Thus, faith should guide us in all our earthly affairs because only then can we begin to be with God. And being a supernatural gift that gives us some truths that are beyond our natural capacity to understand, we should just accept and believe what we are told or taught by it.
We should follow the example of the apostles who said, “Lord, increase our faith.” (Lk 17,5) Also the father of a possessed boy who said, “I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.” (Mk 9,24)
Of course, the epitome of person of great faith is Our Lady herself who in the Annunciation simply said, “Be it done to me according to your word,” (Lk 1,38) even if she did not quite understand how she could be the mother of the Son of God.
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
