TODAY we experience in the Church a re-awakening of the so-called laity.

The ordinary churchgoers are becoming more aware of being members of the church, more aware of their being Christian. They take a more active role in church activities but more importantly, they show a more independent attitude towards the priest and the bishop. They have a mind of their own when it comes to church matters.

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In moral issues they follow their own conscience rather than that what the church authorities tell them to do. There is a growing sense of: we are the church. I am a Catholic or a Christian in my own right.
This growing self-awareness is not only a phenomenon within the church but also outside the church, in social and political life. There is a more active involvement of ordinary citizens in social and political life.

This re-awakening of this so-called laity has become part of our culture as a Filipino. This is expressed in the empowerment of the lay, empowerment of men and women, people power.

We are the world! Ordinary citizens participate in social and political life. It is no longer the sole domain of the so-called experts, professionals, and the trapos. The people will exercise their right to vote in a more responsible way, no vote buying, and no block voting. Their attitude towards politicians is no longer subservient; they demand transparency, no patronage politics.

If the politician is corrupt, we kick them out. Even the President, we can kick him or her out. This is all part of the re-awakening of the so-called laity. Laity is a typical element of modern culture. It is interesting to look at the etymological meaning of this word. It is not a specific religious term.

The word "laity" is derived from two Latin words: "laicus" and "idiota". Laicus means belonging to the ordinary people, the common tawo (plebs), and non-professional, uneducated, unskilled but having one's feet firmly on the ground, down to earth, with common sense, while Idiota means being your own self (idios), your real self, no hambug, no vainglory, sham and deceit.

This is ordinary human reality but in terms of religion this means: to serve God in your own daily life, express this in your own native language and not in Latin or any foreign language. This is so, because spirituality is a search for your own identity, going back to your deepest self where you come in contact with the divine.

Layman and laywoman means searching for your own self, every time again start anew and never think that you have reached it, that you are an expert, a professional already. Even a bishop or a cardinal has to go through this process.

In that sense, a clergyman has to become a layman again. Lay spirituality is a living spirituality, a spirituality of the living experience of the authentic human being. That is a lifetime undertaking. Good to remember, you are layman or laywoman not only in the church but more importantly in public life as well. (For your comments email: arnvv@yahoo.com)