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We
have to understand this virtue very well. It's actually part
of both the human and Christian virtues of temperance and
poverty. We need to consciously develop it not only in ourselves.
We need to help everybody else to mature in it.
Even
from the human point of view, we cannot help but live it,
at least partly. This often disregarded truth can easily be
seen when we realize that everyday we make choices that unavoidably
involve detachment from certain things, and even from certain
persons.
For
example, one with some medical condition has to detach himself
from certain food, good in themselves but bad to him. One
who is married surely has to see to it that his heart just
does not fly off getting attached randomly to any other woman.
One,
who trains for some competition, has to submit to a regimen
that includes a special diet and a list of restrictions. An
adherence to a certain discipline marks his life.
That's
the law that governs us. It should come to us quite naturally
that if only for this reason we should take the appropriate
effort to cultivate this attitude. We've been taught about
this virtue since we were kids. It's for our own good.
In
developing and living this virtue of detachment, one experiences
a certain lightness of feeling, a certain purification and
liberation of the senses from unnecessary and even toxic things.
It fosters self-mastery.
There's
a certain focus of attention involved in it, an aiming at
a specific goal. It is a sure sign that one is progressing,
since growth involves not only acquiring certain elements,
but also discarding things.
But
for those of us who adhere to Christian faith, we know that
this virtue is even more necessary because, firstly, our Lord
said so. 'What does it a profit a man if he gains the whole
world but loses his own soul?' (Mt 16,26)
Or
if you want to be more radical, hear this from our Lord: 'If
any man comes to me, and does not hate his father, mother,
wife, and children, and brothers and sister, and his own life
also, he cannot be my disciple.' (Lk 14,26)
Detachment
in this moral and spiritual level makes sure that our heart
is directed to its ultimate goal, which is nothing less than
supernatural. And this is union with God. We should not forget
this very important dimension in our life. We are meant for
this.
Detachment
purifies our body, and preps and conforms it to our spiritual
needs. If we want to meet the requirements of our spiritual
nature and supernatural calling, we can not avoid having to
live detachment.
Our
Lord said: 'My son, give me your heart.' (Prov 23,26) Besides,
Jesus himself said that the first commandment is 'to love
the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole
soul, and with your whole mind.' (Mt 22,37)
There
is a certain exclusivity in this kind of love that necessarily
entails detaching oneself from other things. But it is an
exclusivity that gives us a universal heart, allowing us to
love everything else properly, that is, in truth, in their
proper order.
To
attain this goal in our life, one that is spiritual and supernatural,
we will always realize that a continuing process of self-denial
and of detachment from the material and temporal elements
of the world is necessary.
To
those with the Christian view of life, this process is never
considered a loss but rather a gain, not a stunting of one's
growth but rather enhancing it. It does not make one sad but
rather happy. It makes sacrifice a touchstone of love.
This
is what is meant by the gospel term of circumcision of the
heart.
The
saints and all who try to pursue holiness look forward to
every occasion to practice detachment in whatever form it
comes, whether physical, economic and social, then moral,
and even spiritual.
We
have to outgrow the mentality that consists of thinking there
can be a time or stage in our life when we can freed from
having to live detachment.
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Fr.
Roy Cimagala is the Chaplain of Center for Industrial
Technology and Enterprise (CITE) in Talamban, Cebu City. You
can email him at:Email: roycimagala@boholchronicle.com
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