God’s mysterious will and ways

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THAT otherwise amusing story of how the baby of Elizabeth and Zechariah was to be called John instead of Zechariah as their neighbors expected (cfr. Lk 1,57-66) somehow tells us that in our life we have to contend with certain mysteries that often defy common sense, logic, tradition and our other human and natural ways.

We should just be humble enough to realize that our natural certainties can never cope with all the mysteries of life. No matter how objective and scientific these certainties are derived, no matter how deep and exhaustive our philosophies, theologies and ideologies are made, our certainties just cannot take all the mysteries in our life.

Even in the world of nature where in theory we have the capacity to know things conclusively, we often find ourselves in situations of tentativeness and even of outright error. That is why we are always in the process of discoveries and we would not know when we can end it, that is to say, when we can say that we have known everything to be known in the world of nature.

This does not mean that our certainties can never know the truth, even the absolute, and not just relative truths. Yes, we can, but the best that we can do is to project ourselves to infinite possibilities, because even the absolute truths are not things that are frozen. They are always dynamic, requiring us to always deepen and grow in our understanding and appreciation of them.

The task we have is how to correspond to this tremendous reality of living our life within the whole mystery of God’s life. Many of us still think that we are quite by ourselves, and the decision to relate ourselves with God and others is purely optional.

No, sir. Our relationship with God, while an option—in fact, a fundamental option—is never optional, something we can feel quite free to have or not to have. We would be incomplete without God.

We need to be more aware of this marvelous truth. And from there, to start the lifelong journey of conforming our life to that of God, overcoming first our initial human awkwardness in the face of our supernatural goal, and then developing the virtues that little by little would resemble us with God.

It’s a process of always conquering new frontiers and defending our fronts from the enemies of God and of our soul.

May it be that our thoughts are also God’s thoughts. And may our words and actions not be just our words and actions, but also God’s. That’s how we are meant to be!

On God’s part, everything has been provided for us to reach the goal. He always gives us his grace. He sends us the Holy Spirit, our sanctifier with his gifts and fruits, so that we can concur with God’s actions and designs.

We’ve been given God’s word, a living and definite revelation so we can enter into the mind of God. We have been given the sacraments and the Church itself, so that God continues to be with us and in us in a very direct and abiding way while still journeying in this earthly life.

So, we should just learn how to live with mysteries in our whole life. They make our life assume the character of an adventure, a thriller, but a divine one, since it is directed by God himself. He plays with us and we should just be sport about it and enjoy it as much as possible even if contradictions can come along the way.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com