By Fr. Roy Cimagala
We have to learn how to refer everything to God. This should be like an instinct, an urge that needs correspondence. We should always remember that the constant and ultimate parameter of our life is God, since he sets the final conditions and purpose of our life and also the one who takes care of everything, including our mistakes and other negativities we encounter in life.
For this, we really should rev up our intellect and will, the primary faculties we have, so they can actively engage us with God as we go through different events and situations. They are the faculties that keep our faith, hope, and charity alive and kicking. They are the ones supposed to direct the other faculties and powers we have.
We have make use of our other faculties —our imagination, memory, emotions, passions, even our instincts— to engage and connect us fully and constantly with God.
We should be careful to avoid letting our human faculties and powers to be fueled only by things of nature, like the play of our biological elements, or by our worldly and temporal affairs, and much less by our own selves and interests.
We should try that they are always on the move but properly directed, avoiding idleness. We should make sure our spiritual faculties —intelligence and will— are in good control of our other faculties.
We have to realize that God is always intervening in our lives. We should be constantly perceptive of this reality and figure out how best we can go along with his will and ways. Thus, we have to try our best to know the intricacies of God’s will by meditating on the gospel regularly, by praying and always having the attitude of looking for God, wanting to do his will, etc.
When we encounter situations where we don’t know how to relate to God, the very least thing we have to do is to pray, making acts of faith and love. Meditating on the psalms can give us good insights on how to relate things to God.
Psalms 24 and 25 give us an idea of what attitude we ought to have and of how to deal with God when we are in the dark as to how to relate things to God.
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?” Psalm 24 asks. “Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.” (3-4)
These words give us an idea of the conditions that enable to get close to God and eventually to know and be familiar with his will and ways.
Psalm 25, shows us what attitude we ought to have before we ask God for light. “No one who hopes in you,” it says, “will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long…” (3-5)
It’s good to be familiar with these words and to try to live out what they say, especially nowadays when we are confronted by many new things that can confuse us. We know that we can easily be seduced by the many conveniences and advantages these new things can offer without realizing the dangers that they can also occasion.
We really need to relate these things to God!
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
