Lucky Stars?...

After a session of about 5 days of retreat followed by the resumption of the classes two days ago, I am back into the midst of an academic endeavour to finish revising whatever I can before the exams come marching in during the last weeks of January. This is also in the midst of the usual classes that continue on unrelentingly.

The only consolation here is that, I am getting closer to the time when I will finish all this and head back for Singapore. This is not much to ask for or bask in, when one considers all the other sufferings and tragedies that are currently besieging the world today. When you consider youself within those who are fortunate to be in a relatively safe and peaceful country of abode, you might say that you are 'lucky'. This got me thinking....

At the recent Angelus (on Jan 1) and the homily during a Mass (Jan 6) in St. Peter's Basilica that celebrated the magi of the east (who arrived to Bethlehem following a star), Pope Benedict XVI mentioned two significant elements which have deep influences in the ordinariness of people's lives that are mostly overlooked.

Firstly, it is this 'lucky' business. The Pontiff had expressed his "fervent best wishes for peace and every good thing, with the grace of God". He stressed that only with this, i.e. grace of God, "we can always hope anew that the future will be better than the past." This simply means that Benedict XVI has rightly affirmed that hope, our hopes for the future, or in whatever useful we are undertaking or going to do, is not based on good luck or the "secrets of the markets," but instead in "we ourselves making the effort to be a little better and more responsible, so as to be able to count on the Lord's benevolence." He goes on to say that, "In Jesus Christ, he has shown to all people the path of salvation, which is above all a spiritual redemption, but which takes in everything human, also including the social and historical dimension." So, if you are in any reason to use 'good luck' in any of your wishes to anyone, just note that how poor and impoverish that greeting is, compared to what God's providence can already give.

Secondly, Benedict XVI affirms that the universe is not governed by a blind force, but by love, and people are not meant to be slaves to the cosmos. The Holy Father noted that 2009 marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first observations by telescope. This anniversary has also motivated UNESCO to proclaim 2009 an International Year of Astronomy. In his homily that Tuesday, the Holy Father has rightly placed the science of astronomy in its proper understanding and give askance to the nonsense that is astrology. Benedict XVI emphatically says that "... cosmic elements shouldn't be divinized, but on the contrary, in everything and above everything, there is a personal will, the Spirit of God, who in Christ revealed himself as love," affirming that people are not slaves of cosmic elements, "but are free, that is, they are capable of relating themselves with the creative liberty of God." So, next time you seriously read and follow diligently some horoscope or dwelve into some silly astrology mumbo jumbo, note that how totally impoverish you are compared to the superabundant power of God's grace that is already offered to you.

Whenever we are tempted to 'count on our lucky stars' why don't start to count on God's providence and abundant graces instead...

(thanks to lynette for the final link...)