Continuing Challenges, Continuing Conversions

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WITH all the rapid developments taking place these days, we know that our life has become more complicated. New challenges are coming up, requiring us to upgrade our knowledge of things in general and skills. It’s indeed no joke to cope with all these.

In computer science, there is such term as “algorithm” which means “a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.” Definitely we now need some kind of algorithm also to help us orchestrate the many and complicated elements that we have contend with these days.

We, for example, have to be prepared with an effective plan and strategy on how to handle these challenges. We have to have a good sense of priorities. We need to know the distinction between the essential and the incidental. We certainly need to have self-discipline and a good sense of focus, able to identify the real goals we need to pursue.

We cannot deny that if we are not careful or aware of this need, we surely would get confused and lost, trapped in some bubble. We really need to upgrade our virtues of prudence and temperance, among many other virtues, if we are to survive this severe challenge we are facing these days.

Before all these and as long as we hold on to our Christian faith, we know that these challenges are offering us a golden opportunity to grow not only in some practical skills but also and most importantly, in our spiritual life, in our love for God and for everybody else.

We are given the opportunity to purify our attitude toward our temporal affairs and to learn how to relate these affairs to our ultimate spiritual and supernatural goal. In short, we are asked to make continuing conversions to see to it that we are getting closer to God and to others rather than being carried away in the spiral of self-indulgence.

For this, we definitely need to be taught so we can learn how to have the proper focus in our life. But to learn, we need to study and develop the proper attitudes, practices, virtues, etc. We have to undergo a certain discipline and follow a well-thought-out plan.

Definitely, an important element in that plan would be the habit of “settling accounts” with God by making daily examinations of conscience. In our spiritual lives, it is important that we settle accounts with God regularly. In fact, saints and the Church herself have recommended that we make daily examinations of conscience just before going to bed.

This is to see if the day went as it should, that is, if love for God and neighbor is really the motive behind all our actions, and so that we at least can be reconciled with God no matter how the day went. We should at least say sorry to God, even if we still have to do things to make up for our mistakes and sins.

Considering the way we are, afflicted as we are with all sorts of vulnerabilities but may still profess great belief and love for God and others, we need to go through frequent conversions even every day.

This need for frequent conversions is great because of the fickleness of our resolutions, and the objective reality that in spite of our best intentions and efforts, we still come out with ideas, words, deeds that are spiced with all sorts of imperfections.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com