PHILIPPINES
through spiritual trials Edited by Br. Francis Wagner, O.S.B. Text Š 2013 Saint Meinrad Archabbey Published by Abbey Press Publications St. Meinrad, Indiana, 47577, USA All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Publisher and Exclusive Distributor in the Philippines: Paulines Publishing House Daughters of St. Paul 2650 F.B. Harrison Street 1302 Pasay City, Philippines E-mail: edpph@paulines.ph Website: www.paulines.ph Cover design: Ann Marie Nemenzo, FSP Photo credits: Noel Salisid 1st Printing 2017 ISBN 978-971-590-838-2 Areas of Distribution: Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore Papua New Guinea, Thailand
at the service of the Gospel and culture
Introduction
O
urs is an exterior culture. We like to fix things, make things right — things we can see with our eyes, touch with our hands, and deal with in concrete terms. There’s nothing wrong with any of that; there are a lot of things in this world in need of repair. However, there is another brokenness that calls out to us from our innermost depths — that of the human heart, the life of the spirit. Unseen and largely unnoticed, this “inner dialogue” of the wounded soul contributes greatly to the collective, exterior troubles of the world at large, which are really only symptoms of a much deeper problem. Doubt. Anger. Malice. Sorrow. Fear. These are just a few of the spiritual trials that afflict the human heart — and if not faithfully and reasonably confronted, they can lead to great distress interiorly and exteriorly, individually and collectively. Our rich Catholic tradition offers us reliable guidance in this respect — not to remove our trials, but to transform them by God’s grace into good, for ourselves and the world around us.
This book contains five selections originally published by Abbey Press as titles in the Catholic Perspectives CareNotes series. Presented here are pieces of valuable insight into some of our spiritual trials, and the inspiration which can lead to renewed and strengthened faith, peace, mercy, joy, and love. We hope that you will read and reflect on them with the ear of your heart, so that God may be all in all (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:28). — Br. Francis Wagner, O.S.B.
Contents How Spiritual Doubt Can Make Our Faith Stronger
1
A Spiritual Response to Anger
11
Finding the Healing Strength to Forgive
21
Rejoice! Finding Joy, Humor in the Spiritual Life
31
Rediscovering the Meaning of Love
42
Chapter II
A Spiritual Response to Anger By Fr. Keith McClellan
I
t was rush hour and I was relieved to exit the menacing Chicago expressway. As I slowed and circled the cloverleaf, several cars were stopped ahead of me, merging onto the backedup and congested boulevard. In general the drivers were courteous, allowing every other car to merge onto the road. When my turn came, I began to edge my car in, but the vehicle to my left would not give. I continued to creep, but the other driver seemed determined to block me. Concluding that I was driving too timidly, I pushed ahead and merged. As I glanced into the rearview mirror I observed the obscene gesture. Then, the driver buzzed around my car and cut me off. On his bumper was a sticker that read: “Jesus loves you.” I could feel the adrenalin entering my bloodstream. My heart pounded, my face grew red, and my body began to tremble. I told myself: this isn’t important. Let it go. But for several days, 11
my blood pressure rose every time I thought about it. In our stressed-out society, incidents of road rage, rude behavior, and bad manners abound. Simple frustrations can trigger angry outbursts. However, an occasional loss of temper is minor compared to the fury that fuels wars, terrorism, school shootings, murder, spouse and child abuse, and other violence. Anger is the response to a perceived or real injustice. As an emotion, it is neither bad nor good. It must be understood and managed. If not, it has damaging and potentially tragic consequences.
Working your way through Catholic tradition has two perspectives on anger. Jesus said, “I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment” (Matthew 5:22). In the face of false witness, Jesus was the suffering servant who “opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 52:7; Mark 14:6061). Imitating the Master, Saint Stephen and other early martyrs died forgiving their enemies (Acts 7:60). Saint John Cassian (ca. 360-435) and the early monastic tradition regarded anger as a “deadly sin” because it is a passion that involves 12
the loss of emotional control and purity of heart. The only good use of anger, he wrote, is anger at oneself for sin and vices. However, one cannot read the Scriptures without noticing that Jesus himself displayed anger on several occasions. When he prepared to heal a man on the Sabbath, he sensed the crowd’s disapproval. “He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 3:5a). Most Christians are familiar with Jesus’ driving the money-changers from the temple with a whip of cords (Mark 11:15-19). Saint Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225-1274) argued that there are times when anger can be morally virtuous. It is important, therefore, that we be able to clearly distinguish between the sinful responses to anger and the fiery passion that motivates those “who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6).
We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. –Archbishop Oscar Romero 13