Perhaps, one of the greatest tragedies of contemporary Christianity is the lack of “religious experience.” There are many who call themselves Christians and yet do not know what it is to enjoy their faith, to feel comfortable with God, and to live savoring their allegiance to Jesus. How can one be a believer without ever enjoying God’s welcoming love?
The development of a theology of markedly rational character and the importance that has been given in the West to the formulation of concepts has frequently led to understanding and living faith as an “adherence to doctrine” to Jesus Christ. Quite a few Christians “believe things” about Jesus, but do not know how to communicate joyfully with him.
Something similar happens sometimes in the liturgical celebration. The external rites are correctly observed and beautiful words are pronounced, but everything seems to happen «outside» of people. One sings with the lips, but the heart is absent. The Body of the Lord is received, but there is no living communion with him.
It is also significant what happens with the reading of the Bible. Advances in modern exegesis have allowed us to know as never before the composition of the sacred books, the literary genres, or the structure of the Gospels. However, we have not learned to savor the Gospel of Jesus.
All of this produces a strange feeling. It would seem we are moving in the “epidermis of faith.” In the Church, there are no shortage of words or sacraments. It is preached every Sunday. The Eucharist is celebrated. There are also baptisms, first communions, and confirmations. But something is “missing,” and it’s not easy to say exactly what. This is not what the first believers experienced.
We need a new experience of the Spirit that makes us live from within and teaches us to “feel and taste things internally,” as St. Ignatius of Loyola said. We lack the experience of tasting what we say we believe; savoring within ourselves the silent but real presence of God. We lack spontaneity with him, joyful trust in his love.
This experience of God is not the fruit of our efforts and labors. The Holy Spirit must be “made room” for in life and in the heart, in our celebrations and in the Christian community. Today’s Church must also listen to the words of Jesus to the Samaritan: “If you knew the gift of God…”. Only when it opens itself to the action of the Spirit does the believer discover that water promised by Jesus, which becomes within us a “spring that bubbles up to eternal life.”
José Antonio Pagola
Published on www.gruposdejesus.com
English version translated with AI