Daily Reflections - October 17,2012

ATTACHMENT AND ATTUNEMENT

 

As a priest for 28 years, I have interacted with a whole lot of people and I can safely make some generalizations about character, personalities and certain traits of people everywhere.

One trait I have little tolerance for is that of the perennial critic. For such people, nothing is ever right with anything. They love to attend meetings and they have what sounds like a lot of brilliant ideas, exciting propositions, and earth-shaking analysis about most everything under the heavens. There is, however, a big problem with them. When it comes to execution, when it comes to walking the talk, they are nowhere to be found.

The Pharisees are very much like them. They know all about the rules and they are outspoken about it, but they never lift a finger to do what they taught — just like people who claim they believe yet don’t really belong!

St. Paul’s letter teaches us something about genuine belonging: “Those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.” Belonging entails a corresponding code associated with believing. Handsome is as handsome does, as good old homespun wisdom puts it. He tells us further that there are identifiable signs that show we both believe and belong. He calls them fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Many people who claim to believe and call themselves Catholics do not really belong. Known as cafeteria Catholics, they choose what to believe, and choose where to belong. Some even claim they belong to the Church while they support abortion, calling it the right to choose for themselves. There are those who insist they are Catolico cerradowhen their attachment to the Church does not show corresponding attunement to her teachings.

Those who claim they believe yet not belong are not necessarily bad people. No, they are not just good enough. The Pharisees did a lot of good things. So did the scholars of the law. We can do better. All of us are expected to believe — and belong! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: As someone who belongs to the Catholic fold, do you believe what it teaches you and do you practice it in your life?

 

Lord Jesus, may I have the conviction to put into action what I believe in as a Catholic.