Total commitment

How conscious are we of the distance that lies between what creatures are in themselves and what God is in Himself? That’s hard to come by if we are full of ourselves. Where is our position with regard to our consciousness of God? Have we become a big somebody, a public figure making people know our bloated identity, telling our big name to an admiring crowd? Or have we been diminishing quite as fast as God has been increasing in our consciousness?

That we diminish in ourselves and God increase in our mind and heart, in our soul, requires detachment first from ourselves, our desires, our possessions, in a word from creatures. With a clear realization of this distance, St. Augustine addressed God in the Soliloquies: "Miserable man that I am, when will my imperfection be able to conform with your righteousness? You indeed are good, and I evil; You are just, and I unjust: You are light, and I blindness; You are life, and I death; You are medicine, and I sickness; You are supreme truth; and I utter vanity" (This text is from the pseudo-Augustinian work of the same title, ch. 2, p. 866).

We, indeed, are ignorant who think it is possible to reach this high state of union with God without first emptying our appetite of all the natural things that can be a hindrance to them. For there is an extreme between our appetites and that which is given in this state, which is nothing less than transformation in God. Instructing us about this way our Lord stated according to St. Luke: "Whoever does not renounce what the will possesses cannot be my disciple" (Lk 14:33). This statement is clear, for the doctrine the Son of Man came to teach is contempt for all things so we may receive the gift of God’s Spirit. As long as people fail to rid themselves of these possessions, they are incapable of receiving God’s Spirit in pure transformation.

Oh, this doctrine is only for the religious priests and nuns who vow they will not claim anything as theirs, or take a wife or husband, and obey all their constituted religious. But no. Total commitment is also enjoined of husbands and wives. If a man takes a wife, he has to give up taking two or three or more (querida system, you know). If a woman consents to marry a man, she cannot commit herself to another man (total commitment, that is). For singles, well, they cannot pose as a single to the public but have one or two or more relationships with the opposite sex. They, too, have to commit totally to God in whatever work God chooses them to be – any lay apostolate for instance or any work of charity. They cannot be single so that they don’t bother having a husband, or wife, or children so they can have all their money for themselves; neither do they enter the convent because, well, it is much easier not to be under any rule or any superior at your beck calling you to obey whatever he or she would want obeyed. How about diocesan or secular priests (meaning they are not religious but they have to be under their bishop)? Well, they do not choose that because it is easier for them to have a car of their own or anything which they couldn’t acquire if they are religious.

It is well-known from experience that when the will is attached to an object, it esteems that object higher that any other, even though another not as pleasing, may deserve higher admiration. And if people desire pleasure from two objects, they are necessarily offensive to the more deserving because through their desire for both they equate the two. Since nothing equals God, those who love and are attached to something along with God offend him exceedingly. I am not speaking of the conjugal love between husband and wife because the love between them is a way of loving God and a reflection of God’s love for His people. In a word, detachment boils down to a simple principle that no creature should be an obstacle to our love of God and that no creature should be so necessary to us that we lose our peace in the love of God. "In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce oneself or all possessions cannot be my disciple." (Lk 14:33).

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Luke 14:25-33.

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The Jesuit Vocation Promotion Team invites male college students and young professionals to a Vocation Seminar, intended for those who are considering the priesthood or brotherhood in the religious life on September 12, 2004, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Conference Room B, St. Paul College-Manila, Pedro Gil Street, Manila. For more details, please contact the Jesuit Vocation Promotions Office, Loyola House of Studies at telephone number 4266101 (local 3408) or e-mail at [email protected]