Religiosity and Spirituality

Fr. Salvador Wee, SJ

Is it possible to be religious and unspiritual at the same time. One can be pious and
unholy at the same time, and one can also be spiritual without being religious. Religiosity is
concerned with form and externals, while spirituality is concerned with substance and spirit.
There is plenty of religiosity around, but there is not enough spirituality in the world.
There be less conflict, animosity and misunderstanding among people if religious will
focus more on spirituality rather than piety. Religiosity without spirituality, together with
narrow-mindedness, self-righteousness, fanaticism, fear, and ignorance are the reasons for the
never-ending religious conflict and killings in the world.
We see multitudes worshipping without any concern for peace, good will, truth and
justice in everyday life. We see believers led by unspiritual leaders and exploited for financial
gain and power, and we see this happening in practically all religious. Their religiosity does not
go beyond their rules and rituals.
Perhaps this is why atheists do not believe in God, because they see religion as on
opiate of the people. They do not see connection between faith and daily life. There are others
who say they believe in God but behave ungodly ways. Pope Paul VI described practical aethism
as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. “It is present in western civilization. It says it believes in God, but it
worships wealth, power and the self.”
Spirituality focuses on the truth and a deeper meaning of things. Jesus taught us that
God does not judge by appearances but looks into our hearts. Those preoccupied with the
external of image, form and rules need to remember this. We see the link between true
spirituality, common sense and realistic pragmatism in the life of Jesus. When accused of
blasphemy because he healed on the Sabbath day, Jesus answered that he did not come to do
away with the Law of Moses and the Prophets. He came to fulfill them and make them come
true. He taught that the greatest of all commandments is to love God by humbly serving others.
This is the essence of true religion.
Jesus was aware of religious people who are not spiritual people when he warned us
about the traditions of our ancestors and teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their kind
of closed-minded religiosity sent Jesus to his death. They were not evil people. In fact, they
were since people. They thought they were protecting and defending their religious faith from
harmful influences.
In the story of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus challenged anyone without sin to
throw the first stone. He associated with those classified by the religious authorities as public
sinners and outcasts. He did not allow the Sabbath to stop him from healing the sick and
helping the suffering. Human tradition did not stop him from transcending social, cultural and
religious barriers to speak the truth and to do what is right and just.
The very nature of a spirit is its freedom and flexibility. Openness, humility, and
adaptability are signs of true spirituality. Rigidity, narrow-mindedness and fixated ways indicate
the absence of spirituality. This is what Jesus showed us in his own life. This is what the
scripture means when it says that God’s law is not only written on tablets of stone, but it
written in our hearts. This realistic way of approaching God and faith was considered “good
news” by the first Christians. It is something internalized, understood and concretized in our
daily lives. This is why Christianity is supposed to be a new covenant with God.
The Church has traditionally been narrow-minded and strict about natural family
planning, divorce, civil marriages or living together without getting married, in order to protect
the sacredness of family. When asked about homosexuality, Pope Francis said, “Who am I to
judge?” This response based on the compassionate examples we see in the life of Jesus
reverberated around the world. Early in his papacy, Pope Francis said that we must stop being
self-centered. He is reminding us, in word and deed, to be simple and humble in our faith and
to love and serve the least of our brothers and sisters. He is bringing us back to the basics of
Christianity, and he was recently named by the time magazine as Persons of the Year.
There are people who are outwardly religious but who behave in ungodly ways, like the
religious fanatics who pray fervently before going out to kill many innocent victims. There are
people who pray every day and yet are full of self- importance, unjust, unforgiving or unkind.
There are boisterous religion classes that disrupt other classes. Even retreat houses are not
exempt from these ungodly and insensitive ways.
These examples make us wonder if we understand or take Jesus and his teachings
seriously or not. We keep saying the right things, but we do not do the right things. The prophet
Hosea bewailed this kind of ephemeral piety. “Israel and Judah, what I am going to do with
you? Your love for me disappears as quickly as morning mist; it is like dew that vanishes early in
the day”(6:4). Let us remind ourselves that there is a Dutch saying,” Behind the Cross lurks the
Devil.” St. Ignatius in the Spiritual exercises quoted St. Paul when he said that “it is a mark of
the evil spirit to always appear as an angel of light.”