Impulsive attraction

SPEAKING  on the Theology of the Body, St. Pope John Paul II revealed that by means of the body, man and woman are uniquely endowed by the Creator with the particular capacity of expressing love as chosen by eternal love.  “Whoever accepts the ethos of Matthew 5:27-28 must know that he is also called to full and mature spontaneity of the relations that spring from the perennial attraction of masculinity and femininity.  This spontaneity is the gradual fruit of the discernment of the impulses of one’s own heart.”  Christ’s words demand that in this sphere, which seems to belong exclusively to the body and to the senses, that is, to exterior man, he should succeed in being an interior man, a true master of his own deep impulses. “ He should draw from all those impulses what is fitting for purity of heart, building with conscience and consistency that personal sense of the nuptial meaning of the body, which opens the interior space of the freedom of the gift.” (General Audience, 12.11.1980)

Scriptures tell us “the two will become one flesh” Gen. 2:24) with regard to the joining of man and woman in marriage.  On the other hand, Jesus construed that “Some are born incapable of marriage. Some have been made that way by others.  But there are some who have given up the possibility of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  Let the one who can accept it, accept it” (Mt. 19:12).  This pronouncement gives no reason to assert the inferiority of marriage, nor the superiority of virginity or celibacy.  Christ proposed the ideal of continence only for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  This implies a value and beauty that goes beyond the purely physical dimension of sexuality.

To be or not to be

    The longing for freedom – to be one’s true self—is a deep-rooted human need that claims the respect of others and may involve the struggle to be freed from shame, fears,  aggression, and contradiction.  The principle of contradiction is enunciated in the phrase: ‘To be or not to be’ or to be victim to labeling or not, to see nature as it is or pretend otherwise.  A thing cannot be and not – be at the same time.  Shakespeare of course had the famous phrase: ‘To be or not to be, that is the question’.  Yes, we have not perhaps realized it.  This is the most basic principle in metaphysics or logical thinking.   

    Nothing is clear or true until one talks about it. When you want people to clarify themselves you could simply ask them.  What do you want?  Is it this or that?  Do you or don’t you want?  This clarifies the mind from ‘mental labeling’ that may also be applied to nature itself—the trees, the flora and fauna, the seas and mountains, all which are as creation supposes them to be.  Human beings need to learn from the sacred stillness of creation to be their true free selves as they attempt to clarify expectations and goals towards forging a unity in truth and not a contradiction of ideas.

    It is because in our world today things seem to complicate themselves, and as they say, man is a complicating animal.  He simply wants to add burdens to burdens, laws to laws, labels that keep changing, and the whole thing comes out more complicated.  The fact of the matter is that the more educated the citizenry, the lesser laws might be needed, since these were framed as guiding posts.  Hence the importance of spreading good ideas, since it is ideas that rule the world.  St. Paul said: “Preach in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2).

The secure solution

ARE we going the right way, are we going the wrong way? What lies at the end of the road? Will our country attain the security we long for? What is the right solution to our economic problem?  Do we have to keep emulating those other nations or learn a lesson from their failures? 

    As questions like these lurk and challenge our personal and collective security, we can say that ‘if others could, we could do too’.  But discipline is needed.  Only I wish to state that the Gospel truth has proposed an infallible economic solution.

    First, that our Heavenly Father takes care of us.  Yet He expects us to seek and work for His Kingdom.  [Read Mt. 6:24-34].  Secondly, He expects us to live a life of dedicated service.  “Judge not and ye shall not be judged; forgive and ye shall be forgiven; give and it shall be given unto you; according to the measure you give, they shall pour back to you the same measure, overflowing” (Lk. 6:36-38).  If you take care and develop the little that you have (time, talents, treasure) you will be given more and you shall abound; but if you neglect to develop what little you have, you will even lose that.  [Read Mt. 25:21-29; Lk. 16:10; Lk. 19:17-20].

A mighty trust

‘THERE are no tyrants where there are no slaves’, said Gat Jose Rizal.  The Lord says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, but blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord” (Jer. 17:5).  “It is better to trust in the Lord than in the great men of the earth” (Ps. 118:8).

    The biggest mistake of our people is when they place government and trust in government above trust in God.  That is tantamount to making an idol.  “Thou shalt not make strange gods before me, for I shall punish the people who do such.  But I shall reward my faithful ones even to the thousandth generation” (Ex. 20).  We keep on complaining, we keep on trusting in corrupted people, and because we forget to pray to the true God, the solution is nowhere.

    “Life is a warfare” (Job 7:1) and we are fighting against the forces of evil, against the devil who is constantly going around to recruit people and drag them to hell (1 Pet. 5:8). But for God’s faithful ones who fearlessly trust in Him, there is ever existing His provident hand.

Victory in fair-play

All we want is fair play, for the sake of harmony.  No one enjoys a game where everybody or many do cheat.  The past elections were meant to reflect the people’s will and freedom, to prove that there is still some degree of freedom within the nation, in such wise that they could still place whom they will in power.  If not possible, then we are no free nation anymore, as far as democratic elections are concerned. 

When I heard some oppositionists using foul revengeful language, I felt so sad.  It will then be impossible for them to win.  You can only win over evil by doing good.  But if you go down to the level of the beasts, you eliminate the possibility for victory.  If we use evil ways how can we conquer evil?  If we desire revenge how different are we from the others?  We can only conquer evil with good (Rom. 12:21).  You cannot right a wrong with another wrong.

Let there be fair-play, not hatred.  Sure we all know that there is such a thing as greed for power.  Yet if we play our cards right in the manner of God’s law, we will surely have the chance to win.  “If only my people would keep my law, quickly my hand shall subdue all their foes” (Ps. 81:14)