Sep 15 Tue
What should be the basic attitude of a Christian?
To be a Christian means being united to the Cross.
The Church makes present for all ages the fruits of Christ's death on the Cross. All the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, unite us to his Passion.
But God also wants us to be united to his mission. He has called us to be co-redeemers.
St Paul tells us: “Now I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.”
To co-redeem with Christ, we must not shun sacrifices in daily life. St. Josemaría wrote: “Being a Christian is not simply a way to personal contentment; it implies a mission..."
“Being a Christian is not something incidental; it is a divine reality that takes root deep in our life. It gives us a clear vision and strengthens our will to act as God wants. So, we learn that the Christian's pilgrimage in the world must express itself in a continuous service in all kinds of ways, varying with each person's circumstances, but always motivated by love of God and of our neighbor. Being a Christian means forgetting petty objectives of personal prestige and ambition and even possibly nobler aims, like philanthropy and compassion for the misfortunes of others. It means setting our mind and heart on reaching the fullness of love which Jesus Christ showed by dying for us."
“Let me give you an example of the kind of attitude which develops if one is unable to penetrate this mystery of Jesus. Some people tend to see Christianity as a collection of devout practices, failing to realize their relation to the circumstances of ordinary life, including the urgency to meet the needs of other people and remedy injustice. I would say that anyone who has that attitude has not yet understood the meaning of the Incarnation."
“Others tend to imagine that to remain human one must set aside some central aspects of Christian dogma. They act as if the life of prayer, the continual relationship with God, implied fleeing from responsibilities and forsaking the world. But they forget that it was none other than Jesus who showed us the extreme to which we should go in love and service. Only if we try to understand the mystery of God's love –a love which went as far as death– will we be able to give ourselves totally to others and not let ourselves be overcome by difficulties or indifference."
The path to becoming co-redeemers with Christ is that of the Cross. “We are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” There is no other way.
Love captivates the soul and leads it quietly and gently to complete self-denial; and by that self-giving, the soul is purified, cleansed, divinized. “Our Lord asks for generous hearts that are truly detached. We will achieve this if we resolutely cut the thick bonds or the subtle threads that tie us to ourselves. This entails a constant struggle."
If you already know what you have to do and you don't do it, you're worse off than before.