‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation’

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

ST. PETER said these words to the house of Israel who realized that they had crucified the very Son of God, the Messiah whom they had expected for so long. He proceeded to advise them to do some penance. (cfr. Acts 2,36-41)

These words can also be applied to us now. We cannot deny that we somehow fit the description of being a perverse generation, what with all the worldly addictions and afflictions we are into.

We should now try our best to extricate ourselves from this sad condition by truly making that effort to make God the number 1 priority of our life. Is God really the one who attracts us most? Is everything we think, say or do has God as the beginning and end?

Yes, we have to learn how to seek God with our utmost effort, echoing this sentiment of David when he got lost in the wilderness: “O God, you are my God. I earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Ps 63,1)

We have to reassure ourselves that such effort will always be rewarded a hundredfold by God himself who cannot be outdone in generosity. Remember Christ’s words: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or wife or children or field for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Mt 19,29)

We have to learn how to seek and find God in all things, big and small, and in all occasions and situations, good and bad. If we have to use the divine logic, we should first learn to seek and find God in the little things of each day before we can find him in the big things, and in the very ordinary, routine things before we can see him especially in the most trying moments of our life.

Let us always remember that everything can and should be related to God, especially those instances when we are most vulnerable, weak and miserable. It goes without saying that the good times we have should be moments of thanking God, especially when we experience big successes and victories which, if not related to God, can intoxicate and spoil us.

As St. Josemaria Escriva once said: “There is something holy, something divine hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each of you to discover it.” God is everywhere.  To capture this reality, we need to learn how to be a contemplative even right in the middle of the world.

We should learn to detect the presence of God in everything and to take part in his abiding providence over us. He always invites us to cooperate with him in governing his creation.

He even invites us to “subdue the earth and have dominion over it.” (Gen 1,26-28) He invites us to complete his work of creation with him. As knowing and free collaborators, we are “God’s fellow workers.” (1 Cor 3,9)

So, there’s always basis to find and work with God if we look for him actively. We need to live in God’s presence since in the first place our life is supposed to be a life with God. We are meant for it. We are actually equipped and enabled for it also. And obviously there is an objective basis for this.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com