Assurance for the modern age
Part 7: Foundation stones for a good secular life
We looked earlier at how fortunate we are to live in the modern age, in the UK. So, let’s begin with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness. Let’s not, briefly, think, “Aren’t I lucky!”, and then forget how lucky we are and simply focus on enjoying our own opportunities. Thankfulness and gratitude look like a solid foundation for a good life. If we then engage our mind, and take notice that not everyone is so fortunate, then our thankfulness will naturally overflow into compassion. I consider that anyone who has consciously, actively taken on a compassionate life has probably already done enough to live a good life to the full. I will go on to say much more, but I think that compassion is so important that, if we have this, it will make up for many other things that we may lack. However, this compassion must be active, overt, arising from the core of our understanding of what life is for -rather than an occasional emotional response to an accidental meeting with someone in an unfortunate situation (valuable as such compassion is).
A compassionate life rests on our taking responsibility. We are not content with drifting through life. We take on a mission! The very word evokes resonance with a religious way of life, for mission is central to it. However, here we are accepting the value of secular mission. Each person takes on board roles and goals that strike them as central to expressing what life is for, in a way that expresses their own personal core values. This is vitally important, for it allows each person to choose their own distinctive way to make their contribution to the common good. It’s also vital because each person is likely to feel tempted to despair at the size of the task of making the world a better place. So, without absolving ourselves from responsibility, we can consciously, actively commit ourselves: “I am going to live in this way, and do this job, and help those two causes as my key contribution”.
Spiritual Devotion 