Prelim Lecture Spirituality

8/3/2019 Prelim Lecture Spirituality

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SPIRITUALITY

OF SOCIAL

TRANSFORMATION





DEFINITION OF SPIRITUALITY

“refers to any

religious or ethicalvalue i.e.

concretized as anattitude or spirit from

which one’s actionflow”



For Better Understanding…

SPIRITUALITY

FAITH ACTION

“Faith without good works is dead”

signifies a certain kind of unity



Kinds of Spirituality

1. ZEN SPIRITUALITY - a major school of Buddhism originating in 12th century China that

emphasizes enlightenment through meditation and insight

2. BUDDHISM SPIRITUALITY - a world religion or philosophy based on the teaching

of the Buddha and holding that a state of enlightenment

can be attained by suppressing worldly desires

3. JEWISH SPIRITUALITY - related to the practices of Judaism

- belonging or relating to a people descended from the ancient Hebrews or the Jews

4. MUSLIM SPIRITUALITY - somebody who believes in and practices Islam

5. CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY - somebody who believes that Jesus Christ was sent to the world by God to save humanity, and who tries to follow

his teachings and example N.B.

THE focus of our discussion is the Spirituality

according to the Christian tradition and practice.



Spirituality is NOT

only for the olderpeople

Scope of Spirituality


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/prelim-lecture-spirituality 7/87Scope of Spirituality

…to the students who

•have the habit of writing words or symbols of

praises at the top of their test

paper as a sign of offering or

probably adoration to God.

• wear or keep religious articles

as their way of connecting

with God.



…to the teachers who

•have their own unique way of

manifesting their prayer life in

their work.

•become more prayerful as they approach aparticular class or group pf students.

• have the habit or ritual of offering mass and

prayers at the beginning and end of every

semester as a sign of deliverance and

thanksgiving.



Indeed… Spirituality is a part of life for many

people of different walks of life

“…that the practiced of devotion should be

adapted to each person according to his/her duties and occupation.”

St. Frances de Sales


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/prelim-lecture-spirituality 10/87Elements of Spirituality

1. PRAYER TRADITIONALLY defined as…

“lifting up of our heart

and mind to God.”



PRAYER

is not only lifting of our heart and mind but it is also listening and waiting to God.

has two way process:a. God’s action

b. our participation



PRAYER

that is why it is best described as “ conversation with God”

means: speaking and listening to God


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/prelim-lecture-spirituality 13/87Kinds of Prayer

A. VOCAL PRAYER

- is the act of expressing thethoughts and concerns of our

hearts to God through the use of

our own words.

e.g. OUR FATHER, HAIL

MARY, GLORY BE etc.



B. MENTAL PRAYER

- a prayer wherein we use our

mind and imagination to unite

ourselves with God.

e.g. meditation, examination

of conscience etc.



C. CONTEMPLATION

- A prayer of loving attentiveness

to God’s mysterious presence.

While mental prayer is more of

the active use of our imagination

and mind, contemplative prayer is more quiet, receptive and

affective. It is a prayer of the

heart.

e.g. 30 day prayer retreat ofthe priest and religious



D. LITURGICAL PRAYER

- a prayer of the church gathered in worship and praise of God. The

most important liturgical prayer

for the Catholics is the Mass or the Eucharist.

- other liturgical prayer is the liturgy of the hours or

“breviary”; prayer meeting; para-liturgical prayers.



Elements of Prayer

2. Sacrificial – Spiritual Discipline

“Sacrifice is always a part of

Authentic ChristianSpirituality.”



Elements of Prayer


In Modern times, it is understood in a very negative way. It is conceived as hassle,

hindrance, obstacle, and an opponent of

happiness and joy.



Elements of Prayer


SACRIFICE comes from the Latin

word:•Sacra means HOLY or SACRED

•Facere means TO DO or TO ACT

In short, it is simply meansHOLY ACTION or SACRED ACTION



Elements of Prayer


Furthermore…

Sacrifice are means that can lead us to become good or become

holy . They are not really a

hindrance or obstacle to joy andhappiness.



Elements of Prayer


Sacrifice as spiritual discipline istraditionally termed as

“ASCETICISM” comes from theGreek word ASKESIS which

meansathletic exercise or practice

By definition it is “a self -denying way of life”



Elements of Prayer


Different Kinds of Spiritual Discipline

a.FASTING• simply means not to eat foods for a day or a meal.

• History of Christianity: practiced as a way of uniting

oneself with the suffering Jesus and as a preparation for prayer.

• Vat. II, 1964 : P. Paul VI reduced the time for fasting

into one hour before Holy Communion and moderately

fast on Ash Wed and Good Friday.• Today, many Christians are rediscovering fasting both

as discipline for prayer and a way of entering into

solidarity with the hungry and the poor.



Elements of Prayer



b. ABSTINENCE• a practice of refraining from eating meat

• today, this practice is very popular especially for those who want to reduced in weight.

• but abstinence was originally a spiritual act

• It is a way of disciplining the spirit





Elements of Prayer



c. SOLITUDE, RETREAT AND RECOLLECTION• SOLITUDE means to find a time and place to be alone

before God.

• In the history of spirituality, DESERT is a symbol of SOLITUDE.

• Today, many of us are already engrossed and blinded

by the busy, noisy, and artificial offering of the urban

world.• SOLITUDE can help us open ourselves to God who

speaks to us in silence and in the beauty of creation.



Elements of Prayer



c. SOLITUDE, RETREAT AND RECOLLECTION

• RETREAT is an extended version of solitude

• Normally happens in three days.

• RECOLLECTION normally happens

in in ONE to TWO days.



Elements of Prayer



c. GOOD WORKS

• A very important element of spirituality .

• e.g. Parable of the Good Samaritan.• Mt. 6,1-4 “…when you give alms, do not let

your left hand know what your right hand is

doing…so that your almsgiving may be insecret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”



SPIRITUALITY AND

HOLINESS



SPIRITUALITY AND HOLINESS

a scary thing to talk about…

Reasons:

a. worldly concept of holiness i.e.

hardships and difficulties

b. to become martyr like saints as

holy people and most of

them died a tragic death

c. some of us don’t want to die

moreover, we don’t want to

die a tragic death.




furthermore…

• holiness connotes impossibility for we are

always tormented with sins and temptations

• many of us don’t want to deal on this and setting aside this holiness “thing”.

• but we are all called to holiness as ultimate

objective of our spirituality

• it is even the ultimate purpose of our life.




“it is therefore quiet clear that

all Christians in any state or

walk of life are called to the

fullness of life and to theperfection of love, and by this

holiness a more human

manner of life is fostered also

in earthly society.”

Vatican II…




Two things are being

emphasized:1.We are all called to

become holy or perfect.

2. Holiness can be realized

in our earthly life.

For better understanding…

SPIRITUALITY A HOLINESS




•What is the meaning of holiness?

• How to become holy?

A di C h li E l di




According to Catholic Encyclopedia:

• Holiness is equated to PERFECTION and WHOLENESS

• these THREE words can be used interchangeably,denoting one and the same meaning

MOREOVER, Holiness derives from

Latin word “SANCTITAS”

HENCE, it is closely related with the term

“SANCTITY/SANCTIFICATION”

or even with the word “SAINT”

ON THE OTHER HAND




ON THE OTHER HAND:

Latin “SANCTITAS” is the rendering of two Greek

words “ HAGIOSYNE ” and “HOSIOTES ”

THESE two Greek words pertain to

holiness but of different emphasis:HAGIOSYNE HOSIOTES

Holiness as

separation fromanything worldy

Holiness as

stability in theservice of God




St. Thomas Aquinas defined holiness as….

“a virtue by which man’s mindapplies itself and

all its act to God”




•St. Thomas Aquinas agrees with the two aspects of

holiness.

(hagiosyne and hosiotes)

•his definition greatly touches on the concept of holiness

as separation and assigned to the virtue of religion

the firmness and stability of services due to God.



Plato was one of the most famous philosophers

of Ancient Greece.

the first to use the word "philosophy", which

means "love of wisdom".

He was born in around 428 BC to a wealthy

family in Athens.

In 387 BC, he founded the Academy, which is

often described as the first European university.

DOCTRINE OF PLATO

PLATO (427-347 BC)



Plato did not believe in creation from nothing (creatio

ex nihilo)

Stressing that actual things are copied of transcendent

ideas.

These ideas are the object of true knowledge

apprehended by reminiscence (memories)

God as absolute and ultimate transcendent reality

above and beyond the world of senses

DOCTRINE OF PLATO

Philosophy of Plato



In order to arrange the world,God employs a “craftsman” known as

“demiurge” or “lesser-god”

His idea greatly influenced the hereticalimpulse of early Christian thinkers.

In short, his idea is keeping God and his

creation, spirit and matter, separate. Resulting to a philosophy of dualism or

dichotomy of body and spirit

DOCTRINE OF PLATO

Philosophy of Plato



For better understanding…

PLATO’S philosophy on DUALISM

IDEALISM MATERIALISM

IMPERFECTPERFECT

BODYSPIRIT

PLATO’s Philosophy on DUALISM



furthermore…

BODY

EVIL

SPIRIT

HOLY

PLATO’s Philosophy on DUALISM

VS

-has to be purified -not capable for

holiness

Holiness is only Appropriate for the spirit



• This idea is very much in contradiction with

the authentic Christian faith

• Christians believe in the importance of bothbody and spirit

• Holiness is appropriate for both body and

spirit

• Body can be an effective means for worship,

faith expression, spirituality or holiness

• No dichotomy of body and spirit.

• Modern philosophers used now the term“EMBODIED SPIRIT”

CHURCH’s TEACHING on BODY vs SPIRIT

ACTIVITY



ACTIVITY

HOW do you exercise your

spirituality as a student?

What are your habits of prayer andgood works?

Reporting-Presentation will follow.…can be in a form of: Singing Acting

Dancing



ACTIVITY

HOW do you express your prayer as a student?

WHAT are your ways to strengthen and deepen your prayerlife?

Reporting-Presentation will follow.

=can be in a form of:a. Singing

b. Acting

c. Dancing



HOLINESS AND PERFECTION

HOLINESS PERFECTIONmeans

As Jesus Christ commands….

“Be perfect, therefore as your

heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt. 5,48

Here, Jesus is commanding the disciplesto extend the boundaries of their

community by modeling themselves onthe Father



HOLINESS AND PERFECTION

Jesus is also bringing the Old Testament to fulfillment

by recalling a command from

Deuteronomy 18,13… “You shall be blameless before the Lord your

God” or “You must remain completely loyal to

the Lord your God.

• Septuagint (Greek version of the Bible) the word“blameless” in Greek translation is “teleios”

• The same word (teleios) which is translated as “perfect”

in Mt 5,48

• In other words, both Mt. and Dt. the notion of perfectionconnotes fidelity and love

• Same word used in Gen. 6,9 describing Noah as blameleand holy



•Therefore, holiness is not completely another-worldly thing.

•Holiness is doable in this world, we justhave to be faithful and loyal to the Lord

As the saying goes:

“we are not called to become successful but we arecalled to become faithful”

Fr. Thomas Green also said:

“the just man sins seven times a day-but their

fundamental

option is for God.”

F K l P hk i hi b k



Fr. Karl Peschke in his book

Christian Ethics said:

“in order to becomeholy a man or a

woman must first live a life in all the

humanity and fragility of human’s

actual condition.”



This implies a greater

capacity for concern, for

suffering, forunderstanding, and for

sympathy …and also forhumor, for joy,

and forappreciation of thegood and beautiful

things in life.

• Perfection is a goal in which every



• Perfection is a goal in which every Christian must strive, however this perfection as a goal is not a possession

from the beginning.• St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians

(3,12-14), he said that “he has not yetattained the goal of perfection, but still

pressing on to it…” • Hence, one ought not to be discouraged

by the perceptions of one's shortcomings and imperfections.

• Only one reason to be frightened iswhen one no longer willing to take aneffort for continued growth andprogress.

F P hk l t d th t t i i ft



Fr. Peschke also stressed that striving afterholiness is a kind of dialectic between

IDEALS and REALITY.Ideals can only be realized in each individual

context or situation i.e. each one becomes perfect

according to his/her own situation or profession

In the same manner, our spirituality should be inharmony with our profession and situation in life.



Therefore, “being a La Sallian and

health worker, it is necessary for us

to understand and conform to the spirituality and ways to holiness

that are appropriate to us.”

What is La Sallian Spirituality?



La Sallian Spirituality (excerpts from the wo rk of Bro. Gerard Rum mery, FSC)

1.The spirit of COMMUNITY – a strong sense of solidarity

2.The spirit of FAITH – a strong sense of seeing Christ in everything and everyone as expressed in the prayer , “Jesus may

live in our hearts forever!” 3.The spirit of ZEAL – a strong sense of

dedication to our work and a strong sense of compassion to those confided

to our care and that it may lead us to “touch the hearts” of those with whom

we work with and lead them to God.

4 A practical spirituality



4. A practical spirituality…

from the words of St. John Baptist de La Salle:

“make no distinction between the

duties of your profession and those

that refer to your salvation and perfection. Be convinced that you will

never achieve your salvation more

surely nor acquire perfection that by

fulfilling well the duties of your profession, provided you do so with the view of God’s will.”

La Sallian Spirituality (excerpts from the wo rk of Bro. Gerard Rum mery, FSC)



Some sustaining metaphors of La Sallian Spirituality:

a. you are called by God to your work

b. you are co-workers with God

c. you work for the poor

d. through the movement of the Holy Spirit

“I adore the Holy will of

God

in my regard.” La Sallian Spirituality (excerpts from the wo rk of Bro. Gerard Rum mery, FSC)



SPIRITUAL LIFE OF CHRIST

HE was totally

involved in thelife-situations of

the people.



HE cured the SICK

HE l h d



HE laughed

with THEM.



HE fed the hungry



…there are still people who believed that Jesus’ mission

was purely religious.

For better clarity as He was involved in economic, political and socio-

cultural matters. Let us look into the Scripture and see how Christ criticized

the religious people of his time.



1. Jesus criticized cultic worship, divorced from love

of God and neighbor [Mt. 5,23-24]

2. Jesus criticized a legalistic

understanding of the relationshipbetween God and Man [Mk.2,27]

3. Jesus criticized the

religious eliteof His time, the Pharisees,

doctors of the Law, and

priests

who used religion for their





UNDERSTANDING ON SPIRITUALITY

OLD UNDERSTANDING… • IT IS THE PRIMARY CONCERN

OF THE PRIESTS AND

THE RELIGIOUS…

•WHILE… THE

SOCIAL ISSUESARE

THE RESPONSIBILITY

OF THE LAY PEOPLE.



DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPIRITUALITY

an exercise of mortification, sacrifices,fasting and abstinence




monastery spirituality,separation from the world

and material things.




characterized by prayer of quiet, ecstatic joy and

union with God.

NEW UNDERSTANDING



SPIRITUALITY OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

“ A WAY OF LIFE, ROOTED IN PRAYER AND

CONSTANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AIMING TO

BUILD A

SOCIETY OF EQUAL DIGNITY,

JUSTICE AND LOVE.”

NEW UNDERSTANDING

UNDERSTANDING ON SPIRITUALITY

VATICAN II [1962-65]



4. SPIRITUALITY

OF SOCIALTRANSFORMATION

thi ki d f i it lit



SPIRITUALITY OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

this kind of spiritualityis an integration of

PRAYER and ACTION that can LEAD

our PEOPLE[the church of the poor]

toward a TRUE COMMUNITY ofDISCIPLES OF CHRIST.



CRITERIA FORA HEALTHY

SPIRITUALITY



1. Mystagogical and not Moralizing

• a spirituality is mystagogical if it leads into the mystery of God and the mystery if human person

• concerned with experiencing the life which God has given us • it should not be faultfinding and condemning

• naturally, no spirituality can exist without morality but morality follows the spiritual experience and not vice versa



2. Liberating and not Excessively Demanding• spirituality leads people to freedom as

children of God

• it leads us to the exercise of freedom and a

deeper love and understanding of oneself

•it promotes the exercise of freedom with

responsibility

• in the course of the exercise of spirituality

we begin to realize that we are not yet perfecand God is so merciful and forgiving

• and that we must learn how to forgive

ourselves also



3. Unifying and not Divisive

• a healthy spirituality unites us with

all people

• it unites us with the weak and strong,

with the sick and healthy, with the rich and the poor, with the

ordinary and exceptional

• a healthy spiritual life calls for a healthy human relationships and

true friendships



4. Oriented to the worldand not withdrawn from it

• a true spirituality faces thedemands of everyday

ordinary life and work

•a spiritual person can perform

his work well with energy,

creativity and enthusiasm

• spirituality must have a

healing and transforming

effect in the world and in

the worldly affairs

5. Seeking God and not Feelings



•

a real spirituality fosters our attachment to God and not just to a warm inspiring

feelings

• it leads us to love • this love leads us to a different attitude

with regards to others and also to a new

relationship with God



6. Comprehensive and not one-sided

• in a healthy spirituality the entire person

must be addressed, be grasped and changed

by God’s transforming power

•

true spirituality touches the human intellect, will and feelings, the conscious

and unconscious, the masculine and the

feminine, the good and the bad in us



7. Humble and not Proud•

humility is the no. 1 criteria of genuine spirituality • Gal. 5,22 “the fruits of the spirit is love, joy peace, kindness….self - control.” • wherever those fruits exist, there the Spirit of God is at work • but whenever narrowness and fear,

hardness and judgment are found, the spirit of God is not at work but our own spirit



CHURCH’S VISION

OF A CHRISTIANCOMMUNITY



What are the

dreams of the

Church?



THE CHURCH DREAMS…

1. ALIVE and LIFE-GIVING

means being “aware” of what is happening around one’s life situation and reaching out to others.

ex. A rich family is alive if they are “aware” of what is happening to the poor families in

their community and they can emphatize with them. And they are life-giving if they do something to alleviate their poverty.




2. Free and Freeingmeans a community whose free members do not only possess freedom but are themselves

instruments of freedom.

ex. In the movie AMISTAD those who are “free” look down to the “black race” particularly the slaves as

second class citizens who should not possess the same right that they have. This should not be, for all of us possess the same right.

3. Responsive and




3. Responsive and

Responsible

means to respond to the call of the signs of the times, not only aware of the problems but be a part of the solutions to those problems.

ex. In every moment of our life, we have the “calling” or an invitation. A student for example,

s/he has a “calling” to listen, study and participate in the discussion. His response could either be responsible or not.

4 Loving and




4. Loving and

Lovable

A challenge for us Filipinos to be more serious in their effort to love our neighbors as a way of living out the

commandments of Christ.

5 Caring and



THE CHURCH DREAMS

5. Caring and

Community Minded

a challenge for us Filipinos to

care for another and for the whole community, di sregarding “close family ties, i.e. caring

only our “sakop”



1.WEALTH IS USED FOR SHARING

2. POWER IS EXERCISED FOR SERVICE

3. VALUES CREATE SOLIDARITY

THE CHURCH DREAMS A COMMUNITY:

where…



Group I and III :

Philippine CommunityGroup II and IV :

Your Ideal Community

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Prelim Lecture Spirituality

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