“Being Soulfish”

“So guys,” the teacher asked the class, “what would be the opposite of selfish?”

The class became silent for a few second. Then one boy raised his hand.

“Yes, Dave, would you like to try?”

“Teacher Erika, is it soulfish?” he answered softly.

His classmates eyed him with a puzzled look.

“Soulfish?” I asked.

“Yes, miss. I try to think more of others, more than me,” Dave replied.

Not a bad term indeed. Hopefully, one day, it would be included in the dictionary.

* * *

Lent is a time for conversion, but personal conversion isn’t complete without being open to helping others in their conversion. A natural sign of personal conversion, when the heart is purified and acquires more capacity to love, is leading others towards an encounter with Jesus.

In his Lenten message, Pope Francis emphasizes on the need to fight against individualism manifested in indifference towards others. He suggests three areas that one’s conversion can positively open itself to: the Church, our communities, and individual Christians.

Opening and giving ourselves to the universality of Church means becoming aware that we are a vital and dynamic part of the communion sanctorum (communion of saints) and of holy things (participating in Holy Mass, frequenting Confession, liturgical celebrations and feasts, etc.). Thus, we are not mere recipients but we have something unique to spiritually contribute to the entire Church and each of Her members.

Pope Francis comments, “[in this reality] no one possesses anything alone, but shares everything with others. And since we are united in God, we can do something for those who are far distant, those whom we could never reach on our own, because with them and for them, we ask God that all of us may be open to His plan of salvation. (Lenten Message, 2015)”

With respect to our communities (e.g. family or parish) we are called us to go beyond the community confines. This doesn’t always mean ‘physically’ looking for ‘new frontiers’ to engage ourselves in. More often than not, it may begin with an interior renewal within the community, fostering greater zeal, forgiveness and healing among the members. This will allow the community to be in the frontlines of spiritual and apostolic initiatives.

Finally, there is our concern for individual Christians. One’s heart can never remain at rest while there are many Christians experiencing all sorts of trials –- material, moral and spiritual -– in their daily existence.

“Flooded with news reports and troubling image of human suffering,” Pope Francis asked, “we often feel our complete inability to help. What can we do to avoid being caught up in this spiral of distress and powerlessness?”

The suffering of others is “a call for conversion” and it reminds us of “the uncertainty of life and our dependence on God and our brothers and sisters.” And this calls us to form our hearts to be “firm, merciful, attentive and generous” to everyone around us, especially, those we are directly in touch with in our families, social duties and engagements.

Our efforts in these three areas will definitely help to gradually overcome our tendency to a state of material autonomy. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI advises that in order for one to arrest this selfish tendency, one must ‘step outside the limits of his closed individuality towards agape (loving to the end)’. This, Benedict XVI says is “breaking through into the divine. (Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 2)”

In this manner of ‘stepping outside of our limits’ we are actually following our Lord’s example of self-giving. In his zeal to save all souls, in His soulfishness, Christ had to ‘pass over’ by laying down His life for our sake. Thus, we also live our own Passover, when like our Lord we daily seek out souls in order to lead them closer to Christ and His Church. This is our authentic soulful contribution to the Church and all its members.