AUGUST 19, 2015

 

REFLECTION ON THE RULE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE: CHAPTER I

 

THE FIRST CHAPTER of the Regula commands that all observe the great commandments of loving God and loving one’s neighbor. According to our Lord, all the prophets and the salvation of everyone’s soul hinges on these two (Matthew 22:40, Matthew 25:31-40); therefore, the Regula did not fail to make mention to those who are reading it what they needed to know to enter the Kingdom of God which is the ultimate, if not the only, goal of every human being that ever existed - as everything that we do is supposed to ultimately result in our salvation, or else, everything that we ever did will be in vain (Matthew 16:26).

 

On this part, I am reminded that my ultimate goal as to why I am striving to be a friar and a priest is not to attain some kind of achievement, but for the sanctification of my soul in hopes of entering the Kingdom of Heaven someday and not be found wanting after the long journey. However, left in its own, my fallen and defiled human nature is prone to forget this goal, which is why I end up prioritizing the wrong things in my struggles. Thankfully, the sweet Word of God which cleaves through heart and spirit is ever present remind me of the more important things in this life, and it is no less also found in the Rule of my patron saint.

 

What sets salvation in Christianity apart from other religions and sects is its nature. This is not to degenerate other religions but in Buddhism, for example, they believe that anyone can save themselves by “escaping” their “corrupted material-form” individually through constant meditations and works of goodness with the goal of achieving Nirvana. Not so with Christianity: we do not believe that we can save ourselves because only God can save us, and, more importantly, in relation to this, we do not believe that God will save us individually only, as he wishes to save us as many as he can (Matthew 20:28, 2 Peter 3:9) - his Church, his Body of earth and whose members we are. Our professor in Catholic Sociology three years ago graphitized this by stating that whenever Christ reaches out his hand to save our souls, we who wants to be saved are supposed to take hold of this saving hand while at the same time, holding on to other people who also wishes to be saved with our other hand - and as I say it, like how a string of pearls is pulled on one end and after which how the pearls would together follow the path where it is pulled.

 

This is the purpose of the Church, the Kingdom of God in this earth, his sacred community, the pearl of great price, (yes, notice the reference to the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price), a string of pearls travelling in a single direction when it is pulled by God’s hand!

 

This communal salvation is clearly reflected in the unanimity being commanded to those who are following the Regula, when it asked us to have one heart and mind intent upon God - the very person and very commandment of which our salvation depends upon on.

 

Overall, for me, the first chapter of the Rule of our Holy Father Saint Augustine was very keen in prioritizing what was necessary for the salvation of the people following it. Thus, it should be a constant reminder of what I ought to desire, what I ought to believe and what I ought to do about it.