Systematizing piety

IT is, first of all, a supernatural gift. And so, in a way we have no business talking about it. But then again it is also a human activity, in fact, a virtue, and therefore, no matter how awkward, we just have to talk about it.

I'm referring to piety. It's that attitude that links us always to God in a vital way, shaping our behavior, feelings, thoughts and decisions regarding our living relationship with God. It's a day-to-day, moment-to-moment affair.

When one is pious, he is always in the presence of God. He may have his share of weaknesses and shortcomings, even mistakes, but if he is pious he knows what to do, as God wants him to do.

One may be in all sorts of circumstances and conditions. He may be anywhere. He can be with people or alone, busy or at rest. But if he is pious, he feels he is with God, and behaves out of love for God.

Part of our present crisis is the misunderstanding, the bias and narrow-mindedness that considers piety as out of place, irrelevant, outdated, useless, a sign of immaturity, etc. Part of the crisis is when people think piety is not cool.

Obviously, it's a crucial virtue, for without it we would end up hanging in the air, not knowing where we are going or whether our actions -- our many, countless actions -- have lasting effects.

Without piety, we end up not being with God. That's the real problem. Without God, we are nothing, helpless, doomed.

We may try to deceive ourselves by immersing in many activities, and reaping a good number of achievements. Still without God, there is a hollowness that cannot be denied, that cannot be avoided.

There is also a feeling of loneliness with all its attending cohorts -- sadness, irritability, proneness to feel misunderstood or to misunderstand others, etc.

In short, we should ask ourselves how we could convert our piety into something systematic and scientific, so that the virtue is truly lived, and sustained, strengthened, and made to bear fruit.

We can ask ourselves how we can be pious all the time, even if we are not in the mood or the circumstances do not favor it.

This is the challenge we face today. It cannot be denied that many of us want and try to be with our Lord always, to be holy. But how many really succeed? How many are able to turn fervent desires to abiding realities?

For this question, of course, the lives of saints abundantly give us some useful ideas. What do they show?

A determined effort to pray, a willful commitment to stick to some plan of acts of piety -- done in a daily, weekly, monthly fashion, etc.

As I said, piety is first of all a matter of grace, something gratuitously given and beyond our efforts to deserve as a right or something due us. But as it is a human activity, it should involve the utmost exercise of our will and all our other faculties.

This is the point we have to understand well. Piety should not depend on moods, on some spontaneous outbursts of emotions and insights, or on some extraordinary events -- like deaths of loved ones, etc.

It should be systematic, as in having a plan with specific activities or practices of piety -- those that fit one's conditions and all that. The idea is to sustain a loving presence and dealing with God at all times, irrespective of situations and circumstances.

Certainly, some periods of mental prayer, of spiritual reading -- of the Gospel and some spiritual books -- hearing Mass, saying the Rosary could be the essential parts of this program.

Times for regular confessions, a continuing plan of formation in all its aspects -- human, spiritual, doctrinal, etc. -- should also be included there.

These concrete items can truly show how serious one is with his life of piety. Otherwise, one just remains in the level of desires and colorful ideas, but no action. And love is more a matter of deeds than of sweet words.

These practices should not hamper one's work or the performance of his other duties, but rather should facilitate them, should improve them.

Imagine if everyone lives his piety in a specific way through some concrete plan. There will always be problems, mistakes, shortcomings, etc., but definitely there will be a radical change for the better when piety become a living reality.