Connectedness

A fragmented life like ours, must, for its wholeness be connected to something greater than the fragment. Looking at man’s physical existence, man has to connect himself to the air by breathing. Breathing the air makes him whole physically; to refuse to breathe is to disintegrate. Although man uses air, he cannot consume it, neither can he posses it. Air is not terminal with man’s death; it outlasts man.

Man is more than physical entity; has moral, spiritual existence that must be connected to someone greater than man’s total life. He needs to connect himself to the Absolute Spirit—God.

Just as breathing is a necessary connection to the air for physical wholeness, so also praying is a necessary connection to God for spiritual wholeness. Breathing is not an option; neither is praying an option. Not to pray is to disconnect oneself from the power-line of God. “Without me you can do nothing.”

Praying is an obligation and a privilege; it can be done alone in private, anywhere and anytime. But praying alone is not enough; it should be done together with the community of believers, in a sacred place like the Church.

Air is anywhere, but in some places it is concentrated, in other, less. I believe that Christ’s presence is anywhere too by His power of creation and by His Lordship over the universe. I am sure that Christ’s presence is also concentrated in the very person who implements the righteousness of God. Christ’s presence is also concentrated in the community of believers when they assembly in his name to worship Him; he assures us that, “Where two or three are gathered in His name, I am in the midst of them.”

The strongest concentration of His presence is found in the Eucharist: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.” (Jn 6:56). He who avails himself to his kind of presence is intimately connected to the divine wholeness.