We need to be able to distinguish between the two. They look alike, but one is genuine the other fake. One helps in our relation with God and others, the other hardens our self-centeredness. One is usually accompanied by peace and joy, the other makes us restless and agitated despite the apparent pleasures it can give.
Devotion is a good seed sown by God himself in a soul. It is God who takes the initiative. One simply tries to correspond to that divine initiative as fully as possible. It expresses itself sincerely from the heart. It truly makes one holy, and helps him grow in humility and other virtues.
A pious, or better said, a pietistic obsession is a weed that impersonates devotion and is sown, if not by man himself, then by the devil. It makes one proud and vain. Its motive is mundane, not sacred. It can even be tinged with malice. Hypocrisy reigns supreme in it.
True devotion is always respectful of Church doctrine even as it assimilates the traditions and customs of the place and time. It observes the proper decorum and has a good sense of priorities. The pietistic obsession is usually swamped with superstitions and hardly cares for Church doctrine and approved practices. It often is showy and likes to flaunt its religiosity.
We must develop our life of piety to the point of devotion, because that shows we are giving everything to God and everyone else.
A good devotion properly involves the emotions and passions in its expression. It makes us think of God and others constantly, ever ready to do things for them. When the devotion is true and strong, nothing can impede it, whatever the cost. In fact, there is a sense of joy and satisfaction in the act of self-giving.
A pietistic obsession only feeds on one’s self-satisfaction. It plays to pride and vanity. Whatever sanctity it can have are only apparent and cannot cope with trials and challenges. Whatever zeal it has is characterized by bitterness and rigidity. The compassion it seems to show is precisely that —only for show. It thrives only in fair weather.
Purifying our devotion of any signs of obsession should be our concern. We cannot deny many things in this world today can easily turn our devotion into obsession. We need to examine ourselves personally and collectively to see if our religious practices are genuine devotions and not mere obsessions.
We cannot deny there are widespread anomalies insofar as our religious practices are concerned. On one side, we can have people so intellectual and cerebral in their approach to God and others that their relation becomes cold and rigid.
On the other side, some get so emotional and passionate in their religious practices without regard to whether they still are on the right path or are already indulging in superstitions.
A continuing process of catechesis and formation is needed. This should start in the family with the bigger entities like the parishes and schools providing subsidiary support. Hopefully, the formation would start with the little children, so they grow up with clear ideas and correct practices already in place.