Humility is about taking our place, not better, but not worse than what we deserve. This is becoming actual about our own person, which is very difficult, due to the fact that due to the negative consequences of first sin we tend to put ourselves in a affirmative light. Hence, Jesus Christ encourages us to exercise ourselves in humility, besides pointing to the reward that this exercise will bring. For he who acknowledges himself as a sinner requiring God's help, not only will receive it, but will be exalted above what is due to him, and thus will receive eternal salvation, to which no of us have the right," says Fr.
Priest Doctor, what is the maturity of a Christian?
Christian maturity is mostly about 2 things. First of all, a good cognition of the truths of the Christian religion and the consequences resulting from it, namely any intellectual maturity in what concerns our attitude toward revealed truth. We know her well and we want to research her. Second, the sincere desire to live according to the fact known, namely, the maturity of our will. The Christian who understood why God created him, and thus eternal happiness in heaven, will not be mature if he does not desire, with the aid of God’s grace, to scope that goal.
Isn't it adequate to be good in people's eyes?
To answer this question, it is worth to quote St. Paul first: “Now, then, do I search the consideration of men or God? Do I effort to delight people? If I wanted to delight people now, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Gal 1:10) The first challenge for a mature Christian is, therefore, to be first good in the eyes of God, for only He is the Good and the origin of Good. People may be mistaken in their judgments, considered as good, desirable, something that is objectively wrong, so we should not search their praise and appreciation. We live by God and for God. However, our desire to delight him should besides be about drawing others to the Creator. Let us search only this appreciation of the people, which the Savior himself spoke of: "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Mt 5:16)
What does it mean to be devout?
Piousness has respective meanings, but they are all embedded in its classical meaning as a virtue that is part of the virtue of righteousness, which helps us to honor and favour our parents, family, community to which we belong. So in relation to God, we can talk of both virtue that helps us to admit him as our Father and to behave toward him. Like a truly loving and grateful child. Furthermore, godly devotion is besides God’s gift, which makes specified conduct easier for us. So godly devotion is closely related to the responsibilities we have toward God as to our Creator and Father, without whom we would not exist.
Okay, but erstwhile we have a false image of God the Father, we're not going to see a loving Father in him?
Family bonds are something so natural to a man, even 1 who has lost his parents, that each of us has a imagination of who the Father is. The grace of God helps us to purify this image over time, even more so if we learn more about the Gospel, in which we can mostly read Jesus' words about God as the Father. A Christian who does not survey his faith, who does not get to know the Gospel better, will not only not have the actual image of God the Father, but should besides consider how serious he is about his faith? Is it truly revealed to him, which is to lead him to heaven, or is it simply a certain cultural heritage received from earthly parents.
How can we decently realize the words of the Savior, “for everyone who is higher will be humiliated, and who is humiliated will be exalted”? Humility is about humiliating yourself?
Humility is about taking our place, not better, but not worse than what we deserve. This is becoming actual about our own person, which is very difficult, due to the fact that due to the negative consequences of first sin we tend to put ourselves in a affirmative light. Hence, Jesus Christ encourages us to exercise ourselves in humility, besides pointing to the reward that this exercise will bring. For he who recognizes himself as a sinner requiring God's help, not only will he receive it, but will be exalted beyond what is due to him, and thus will receive eternal salvation to which no of us have the right. To become partakers of the eternal happiness of God is precisely this exaltation. As for humiliation or condemnation, it is simply a natural consequence of rejecting God, as 1 who is not needed by Satan and fallen with him angels.
When pride, erstwhile this desire to put oneself at the centre – at any cost, of ourselves – not to direct gratitude towards God, is simply a grave sin?
Pride walks before the fall, and so it is the sin that can have disastrous consequences for our salvation. For pride to become a dense sin, it should be the same as pride which led Satan to fall. Hence, this pride should origin us to dislike giving up to God, serving him. Only specified pride, as it removes God from his due place, is simply a grave sin, due to the fact that erstwhile we destruct God to take his place we become like Lucifer.
How can we free ourselves of spiritual hypocrisy? How can we not get lost in spiritual life?
Religious hypocrisy is best avoided by remembering that we are dust and to dust we will turn, that everything is dependent on God's grace. That is why it is so crucial to have a frequent examination of conscience, which, as a very good exercise in humility, makes us aware of our shortcomings and the constant request to improve, due to the fact that we can always improve. It is the examination of conscience, coupled with regular confession, and sometimes even with spiritual direction, that can supply us with points of reference, a kind of compass that will not let us to deviate besides much from erstwhile chosen way to salvation.
Again, individual might say that so often, at least erstwhile a month, we go to confession, since our lives are not perfect... I ask a small bit like the devil's advocate: all day's examination of conscience is not enough, due to the fact that God sees everything, knows my heart and knows what's driving me?
God knows everything about us and it is infinitely better even without our conscience. It serves us, our humility, to test our progress. Confession, on the another hand, is not only an expression of our own wines, so helpful in achieving humility, but besides an chance to get a more nonsubjective view of our past, of more nonsubjective advice. And if we proceed to submit to spiritual direction, we will be just like athletes who have trainers, who indicate their tactics, the essential exercises to do or shortcomings to repair.
What if, for example, friends invitation us to a barbecue on Friday, pizza, and we don't eat meat on Friday? Our piety won't be a small for show? I mean, individual might comment...
Today, it seems easier than a fewer years ago to tell your friends that you have any kind of dietary restriction. any even ask themselves about possible allergies to certain foods. Therefore, it is crucial to say in an open manner, without any excessive words: well, I will come to the grill if there is simply a fish or another postage dish. This is not a spiritual demonstration, but besides a witness that is unfortunately so fewer in our time. We are ashamed of almost everyone and in all place of our religion and the obligations resulting from it. An open saying that as a Catholic I do not eat meat on Friday may besides be a reminder to the inviteer of his own work to keep abstinence, or to become a subject of conversation during which we will calmly and factually present the reasons for Catholic fasting practices.
What does the Pharisees and the taxation collector in the parable teach us today?
The Pharisee and the taxation collector in the parable teach us first that in the sight of God no of us is perfect without sin. All the good that we do is the consequence of cooperating with God's grace, and all evil is simply the work of ourselves. So we request to look clearly at ourselves and realize that God knows all about us and that we will hide nothing from Him. So there is no reason to deceive yourself and consider yourself better than you are. We will not deceive God, we will only become ridiculous towards Him and others.
When can others be made worse by their godliness?
True piety can never be wronged. But we can stumble others by devoting ourselves to show off, unnaturally, the more erstwhile the same people know us well and know how imperfect our lives are. Any godly practices, prayers, signs should be utilized in the right place and at the right time. Not besides much, not besides little, but as much as it takes under the circumstances.
Devotion is simply a caricature of devotion?
Devotion, as it is understood by the possum, is simply a caricature of piety, which is mainly characterised by superficiality and the desire to show itself. Unlike her, devolution focuses not on God, but on 1 who dedicates himself to certain spiritual practices. Moreover, it is shallow due to the fact that it comes not from love for God, but from the will to show itself as a spiritual person.
What kind of devotion does Jesus call us to today?
Jesus has always called us to 1 and the same devotion. It is simply a sincere and zealous fulfillment of the 2 top commandments. First of all, the commandment of God’s love, for it is up to him that we are to live with him forever if we cooperate with grace. Second, the commandment of neighbor's love. For we are not the only people on this earth, God wants not only our salvation, but besides the salvation of all man, and so our behaviour should bring God's plan closer in another people, not further away.
Thank you for talking.
Marta Dybińska
