By Fr. Roy Cimagala *
IT’S true! Where there is love, there is also some kind of
forcefulness, an abiding state of being driven despite the variations
of our bodily and other earthly conditions. Where there is love, we
can only echo what Christ himself said: “I have come to set the earth
on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Lk 12,49)
Where there is love, we would be clear about what the real
and ultimate purpose of our life is, we would have a good sense of
direction even if we are presented with many alternative options, we
would not mind the many difficulties and challenges we can encounter
as we go along. In fact, we would find great meaning in them.
This is the ideal condition for all of us. Even if we are
endowed only with the most phlegmatic and melancholic temperaments,
something must be burning inside our heart that cannot help but burst
into a flame, a flame of love, of self-giving, of serving without
expecting any return, without counting the cost. If it is not yet
there, then let’s enkindle it.
The secret is always that vital identification with Christ.
Of course, this condition, this requirement is quite tough to meet,
but if we would just try and try again as often as necessary,
certainly the ideal effect would just come about. On the part of
Christ, we cannot doubt that he is all there for us, all there for the
taking.
What can always help is that we avoid getting imprisoned in
our own world and allow ourselves to simply be at the mercy of the
state of our physical, emotional and mental condition. With our
spiritual faculties of intelligence and will, plus of course God’s
grace that will always be made abundantly available, we can transcend
beyond these constraining elements.
So we just have to use everything within our power to attain
that ideal state of being always on the go, dynamic, eager to serve
and to do things for everyone. We may have our limitations, and we can
commit mistakes, yet we cannot deny that everything is already given
for us to be how we should be in our earthly life. And that is to be
like Christ, whose only desire is to love all of us.
We actually cannot avoid using some forcefulness. Even with
our own selves, we have to use it, because if not then we would be
totally dominated by our laziness, softness, fears, doubts. Right at
the start of the day, when we have to get up, we have to use force,
and that little daily task can require heroic efforts, both mental and
physical.
It´s true that as we age, our physical strength can wane,
but not the power of the mind nor of the will. In these latter two
faculties, which are our spiritual powers, there´s no such thing as
aging, unless we entirely submit them to the law of our physical life.
Especially with the grace of God, they can go on gaining strength,
scope and depth.
So in theory, because of our spiritual nature, we can go on
living and loving. This is the natural basis for our immortality, that
capacity to continue living even after our death. But since we are a
unity of body and soul, of something material and spiritual, we always
experience a certain tension within ourselves which we try to bear by
using some forcefulness.
But when we have true love, we can handle that predicament
well. Love has its inherent forcefulness.
* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
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