Alter Christus, ipse Christus

THAT'S the Latin for "another Christ, Christ himself." I think that learning a few Latin sayings can do us no harm. On the contrary, it can do us a lot of good!

For one, these Latin expressions are a powerful reminder of fundamental truths about us. They are a beautiful articulation of timeless classic wisdom and rich Christian tradition.

Especially now when we find ourselves restless and having to contend with many things, we need these Latin adages to root us firmly in some safe foundations. They are a sure guide in our very tricky world today.

Otherwise, we will just easily get blown away, or get tossed to and fro in aimless directions. Sad to say, this what we see in many places. Many movies and other shows today, while entertaining, manifest this sickening trait of being lost.
Besides, nowadays many people are developing specialized languages and jargons that derive from their professional, cultural and social conditions. Learning the traditional Latin expressions should not be that difficult.

I was amused for example to learn the other day that what to me is a simple game of gymkhana is now called by the young people as "The Amazing Game," referring to a TV show that covers such a game.

To me, these Latin expressions are like the modern gadget called personal digital assistant (PDA) or the hand-held computer that collects volumes of information and makes them all available on our palm in a jiffy.

Or they are like those potent vitamins and pills that blend all sorts of ingredients coming from all sorts of places, all of them going through complicated processes of blending, just to give us energy or even a cure to some illness.

In this particular Latin expression, we are strongly reminded that all of us are actually meant to become "another Christ" if not "Christ himself." There are still many of us who do not realize this.

Christian life is not just a matter of having some Christian name, or of doing some pious practices. It is nothing less than a living identification with Christ, such that we can truly echo with St. Paul:

"It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."

In other words, our thoughts, our desires, our feelings should not just be purely ours. They have to be Christ's also.

It's an identification that is a result of supernatural grace, which we mainly receive through the sacraments. And it goes beyond our material and human limitations of gender, nationality, character, etc. Thus, St. Paul said:

"All baptized in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ, and there are no more distinctions between Jews and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Gal 3,26-29)

It is also identification with Christ that is a result of our efforts. This is because as human persons, things that happen to us, while a result of grace, should also be a result of our knowledge and will.

Thus, we have to learn to somehow duplicate the very sentiments of Christ in ourselves. His goodness and holiness, his desires to save all men should also be reflected in our lives and in our behavior.

For this, it might be good to remind ourselves of Christ's basic attitudes. With respect to his thoughts, we can glean from what he said that his thoughts are his Father's thoughts also.

"My doctrine is not mine but of him who sent me." (Jn 7,16)

With respect to his will, he said: "I seek not my own will, but the will of him who sent me." (Jn 5,30)

And his behavior was marked by the intention to please his Father always: "I always do what is pleasing to him." (Jn 8,29)

We all have to learn how to develop this kind of mentality and lifestyle. In fact, we need to cultivate a culture that promotes the truth that we are supposed to be "alter Christus, ipse Christus," "another Christ" if not "Christ himself."