A Higher Call for Extra-ordinarili-ness

First, what was that word?

We often quote St John Bosco on the popular slogan among Bosconians, "Do your ordinary duties extraordinarily well". The sentence is engraved in every Bosconian's heart and soul but interestingly, the phrase is not original of Don Bosco but is often said by him.

For most of us, it means putting our best foot forward in everything that we do. That is how the sons of Don Bosco became known to be talented and skilled people. Most Salesians would explain it that way and I have grown up understanding it that way. For most, our human effort of turning the ordinary into extra-ordinary is truly sanctifying for such good, or would I say best, works are pleasing to God's eyes.

In an ordinary breakfast, Fr Fidel and I were happily discussing the aspirants' schedule of the day, to do's, chores and work until the conversation ended up here. He gave me a strong argument to challenge the common understanding of the saying.

The phrase could also mean that, in a higher perspective, those who are in God's grace are given the power to do things extra-ordinarily beyond the level of what they normally can. It is no longer us who does the extra-ordinary, putting a notch higher the mundane things we do, but it is God who empowers us to do much more than what we possibly can.

It was the little Johnny Bosco of Becchi who stunned the world. A humble peasant from an obscure village in northern Italy rose to become an influential figure in the Church and state, rightly earning during his time the title "living saint". A boy who received not the best of education became one of the best educators. St John Bosco's story of success is a powerful testament to the grace of God who lifts up the humble from their lowliness to seat them with kings and nobles.

Now back to the saying. Can we then say that the saying is a higher and stronger challenge to stay in the grace of God which empower us to transcend our normality towards the extra-ordinary? This is something more theologically sound since it is not by man's effort that he sanctifies himself but through the generous and unmerited love of God.

Should we accept this paradigm shift, then Don Bosco must have asked for his sons and daughters to stay in the grace of God always, that they may witness to the "normal" world the extra-ordinariness of God. When we have followed his advice of frequent Confession and Communion, a spiritual director and confessor by our side, and a real friendship with Jesus and Mary, then we can stay in God's grace. And the extra boost of extra-ordinarili-ness will come not just from our own effort but also from the empowering love of God.

In But Not Part Of

I was playing football with the aspirants this afternoon when some approached to play with us. Two of the aspirants called me to the side to warn me that these people play rough. Their concerns were not without basis as many indeed would play rough in order to win. They told me however that it would be my call and they would just be obedient (as they always are to me).

I thought it over and decided that the aspirants play with them. I thought to let the ball roll.

I was quite amused at how many of our aspirants tried their best to defend in their positions. At the end of the game one of them admitted he didn't really want to play since those who invited themselves to the game usually wouldn't pass the ball and that they were too hot-headed to keep a friendly game. True enough, during the game some of the aspirants didn't push enough to make a decent goal.

I pointed out to them two things: one, that the world is never fair; and two, they must deal with it.

It is true that the world is never fair. No, not to anyone. No, never. To complain that opponents are too rough is not some reason to stop playing. It is a challenge to keep fighting on despite the un-fairness, keeping yourself fair to others. It brings to mind Jesus' challenge: you are in the world but not of the world. When these formands would become professed Salesians one day, they would realize that not even those you expect to be fair would be honest at all. How many times have our priests been duped by the very persons they trusted?

The danger of staying in a regulated environment is to begin to think that the world works the way it does inside the seminary walls. Outside the comfort of our boundaries, the world is vicious, competitive, and difficult. Our formands must wake up to the fact that that is the nature of the world, and that is the object of our mission - to purify the world that the Kingdom of God may reign.

Keeping calm in spite of the roughness of opponents is a tough thing to do. Yet it is the very witnessing that St Paul challenges us to: conquer evil with good. So I told my too-idealistic charge that it is the very challenge of playing as an aspirant before other people: to be tough in the game but kind and sportsmanly.

We cannot expect the world to work the way we want it to but we will always have the power to change it by our faithful witness.

Faith and Faithfulness: Hitting the Mark

As the Cardinals of the Catholic Church congregate in the Sistine Chapel for the election of the new Pope the world is abuzz with speculations on who the 266^th Pope will be. Media outlets from all over the world have their own lists of papabili who according to their own estimations have the greater chance of election due to their popularity or relevance.

Secular media is alien to the inner workings of the Church who in her work for salvation is fond of quiet reflection in contrast to the spectacle of speculation, intrigue, and sensation of the world. What most outsiders would consider is the name and fame of each cardinal-elector. The reflective mood however of the conclave points to the search of who among the electors has the capacity to keep the Church faithful to the teachings of Christ in our time.

In a world facing issues of life and life-choices, the Church has been branded as medieval. I think it is altogether missing the point. The Church is not medieval; it is consistent with her teachings throughout history. It is not outdated but continues to strive to be faithful to Christ her spouse. The magisterium, regardless of the personal and individual opinions of her members is bound to faithfulness through the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Church, then, needs a leader who would continue to be a vanguard for this faithfulness.

The landscape of the world may change over time, yet the same laws subsist forever, laws that are rooted in truth and reality and not in the fluid opinions of intellects that pass into oblivion and annals of history. The Church, through the Pope, reads the signs of the times and discerns the call of God through the changing world yet the call remains the same – the call to holiness. Be perfect as your heavenly Father in heaven is perfect. It is a call to fidelity.

As what Mother Teresa of Calcutta would put it, God calls us not to be successful but to be faithful. Faithfulness entails a seeming defeat, opposition, and persecution. In faithfulness, there is no promise of success for success is a mere illusion of the world and a not so worthy prize for steadfast faith. In faithfulness, there is only the promise of Presence.  I will be with you until the end of time.

The beauty of the Church and also of the papacy is not that she in herself is faithful, or that human nature by itself is faithful, for in fact all that is human is fallible. Her real dignity is that God promised to be faithful with her that not even the gates of hell would prevail against her. Only God is faithful and it is His faithfulness that brings sustenance to His people.

It is sad to hear of religious who complain and much worse, quit their paths because they feel unfulfilled or sad in their living out of the vows. The radicality of religious life is not exemplified in the success of the ministry. It is actually seen in the faithfulness of the religious in the vows he had made despite the trails, failures, and sadness in his or her following of Christ. Would Christ be pleased to hear a disciple quit because the work is unrewarding and unfulfilling? No, Jesus would rather have His disciples carry their cross and follow Him.

Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI spoke that there is a crisis of faith in the world. The Church needs a Pope who will nourish and enliven once more the Faith in a world that is bereft of it. Not a faith blind to reason nor a faith that is bound to the senses but a Faith that is alive in the Spirit and fuelled by the impulse to love without recompense and steadfastly through times good and bad.