WORD 2day: Thursday, 2nd week in Easter time
Do not conform to the standards of the world; rather renewed in Spirit conform to the mind of Christ, instructed St. Paul well in this line (cf. Rom 12:2). At times we justify conformity and compromise on the grounds of "peace in the house"; other times we create division and sport rebellion under the pretext of being unique and convinced, while it could just be a way of promoting one's own convenience! Our own innermost self is our judge, and of course the one who resides there: the Spirit of the Lord!
Today, with the pandemic situation and the measures to contain it, there are governments and the international organisations that are tending to make rules and controls, forcing people at large to obey, at times even blackmailing masses into submission. What are we to do? Does out religiosity, our faith, our spirituality, come into play in this scenario? They have to. If not, what are they for?
So, do we abide by what they say or do we not? The question is - not whether we need to abide or we need not; but whether we can think logically or not; whether we can spiritually reason out or not; whether with the help of the Spirit, we can think holistically or not! Not with selfish concerns and sub-human criteria, but with true Spirit-filled mindset and truly all-embracing mindset, what is our judgement of things that are being said and being forced on us? It is not conformity or non-conformity, but our sense of faith and sense of clarity based on the wisdom of the Spirit!
Obedience is not merely conformity to the rule; nor its opposite mere negligence of the rule. It is all about being sincere to the innermost promptings of the Spirit. Being understood when one follows that promptings, is not always guaranteed. Being misunderstood cannot prevent me from being sincere to those promptings. One who obeys will see life (cf. Jn 3:36).