Flowing with the rapidly evolving times

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WE have to learn how to properly deal with the rapid developments of our times. We should avoid getting stuck with some system that may have been effective sometime ago, but is now increasingly showing irrelevance or inability to cope with the new demands that the evolving times are presenting.

In this regard, it is important that we always try our best to monitor these developments to see what new issues, challenges as well as opportunities are being presented to us, for which we should, first of all, ask God for guidance, enlightenment and inspiration.

Let’s hope that we can manage to sort out all these new things judiciously so as to prepare and equip ourselves accordingly. By so doing, we hopefully can make the proper adjustments, changes and innovations that these new developments require without losing sight of what is truly and absolutely important to us.

More importantly, we should try to make the opportune decisions that would redound not only to the temporal good of everyone, but also to the spiritual and moral growth of everyone.

In the end what absolutely matters would be that our decisions to adjust, adapt, innovate, etc., would lead us to give greater glory to God and better service to the common good.

For all of this, we should try to make ourselves persons of sound judgment. And that means that we should learn how to integrate the material with the spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our, the here and now with the eternal destiny meant for us.

We have to insist on living out as best that we can our faith, hope and charity, guarding ourselves from relying mainly if not only on our human sciences and technologies.

Remember what Christ himself said: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul.” (Mt 16,26) And so, even as we do our best in resolving whatever challenges and problems we have in our evolving times, we should not forget that “only one thing necessary” in our life, relating and subordinating everything else to God.

In this regard, we have to help one another develop the proper attitude and skills to be persons of sound judgment. In other words, for us not to get lost or even confused with the new, changing and fast-moving developments, I imagine that we really have to pray, to get in touch as intimately as possible with God who in the end is the real guide, since he is on top of everything.

Without him and simply depending on our own lights, we certainly could not cope with all the complexity of the things around us. Our current culture can only do so much. The same with our legal systems and whatever social, economic or political consensus we may have regarding what is proper and improper, fair and unfair, etc.

Obviously, we have to work under some human systems, but these should always be animated by a vital contact with God, with his spirit, with his will and ways, his laws and commandments.

This is a big challenge because many people today are unaware of the need to have a living relationship with God, let alone, having the proper attitude, practices and skills on how to get in contact with God. The usual practice is simply to rely on one’s own criteria and standards.

There is definitely a need for some massive catechesis, but of the kind that would really address the issues properly.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com