Dear Friends,
“The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.” This line from chapter 35 of Sirach, our first reading this weekend along with the Gospel of the tax collector and pharisee praying in the Temple and some recent reading on the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis, raised the question: what is my goal in life? Who is the one truly justified?
Competition is part and parcel of life in this world on many levels. Our economy has been based on market competition. When tempered by a relationship with God and His law, it works rather well but left to itself competition can lead to a great imbalance, even injustice. What am I thinking about?
Well, what is the goal of my life? Is it to make a fortune, to have the nicest and newest things? Is it prestige, social standing, endless enjoyments? Is it getting ahead and/or staying ahead in life? All the things of this world have their place, but they are secondary to our relationship with God. Everything in creation is passing, even fleeting.
The primary, encompassing and most essential goal of my life, of everyone’s life, is to get to heaven, to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ here and now, to live my life in union/communion with Him. Many people of faith accept this intellectually and perhaps unconsciously. But how do we live our life consciously and from the heart in, with, and through Jesus, focused on getting to heaven?
God promises that those who serve Him willing have their petitions reach heaven. The pharisee in today’s Gospel was a person of faith who externally practiced and live Judaism. However, he took pride in his efforts and boosted about them before God. He did not humbly come before the Lord thanking Him for all that he had received from God’s hands. It appears he thinks he is rather self-sufficient and doing it on his own.
The tax collector of course is painfully aware of his lack of standing, of being outside of a proper relationship with God. He comes humbly acknowledging his weakness, his sin, his need, seeking God’s mercy, trusting that God will hear his prayer and help him. Jesus tells us that he went home justified.
We have all been blessed in so many ways with so many gifts. Do we list our blessings from God often and express our thanksgiving to God for them? Do we acknowledge that we cannot go it alone and daily seek God’s assistance? Do we strive to serve God willingly in our everyday living, working, playing? In other words, is God truly first and foremost in my life? Is He my joy, my hope, my love? And does everything else, including all my relationships, flow from that realization and acceptance of God’s primacy?
God made us in His image and for Himself. Blessed Carlo Acutis who died at 15 years of age knew this from a very young age and he lived his life for God. Enjoying all the things that young boys enjoy, he had a special relationship with Jesus, especially through the Eucharist. Carlo touched the lives of so many people including his own parents. He lived in the joy of seeking Jesus every day. In his own words, “Our ultimate goal must be the Infinite and not the finite. If God possesses our hearts, then we will possess the Infinite. Find God and you will find the meaning of your life.”
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
