What is life all about? What do I want out of life? Who do I want to become in my life? What will make me really happy? These are questions common to all young people.
The society in which we live tells us this world is what it is about. Happiness consists in having a good job, making good money, enjoying sex without commitment, fulfilling our own desires and wants, even using others to get what we want, having power over others. This is what society is telling you everyday, in its news, in its music, in the movies, in so many internet sites, in commercials, and by so many living around you.
Our Lord Jesus tells us just the opposite of what society is saying. Our Lord says happiness consists in love, patterned on His love, even to the point of suffering and death, that it consists in patience, and kindness, serving others, caring for others, especially the less fortunate, in working for justice and peace in this world, in seeking God’s will, not our own, apart from God’s will, in sharing with others the love God shares with us.
The happiness that the culture of our society offers so often ends in tragedy.
--- How many successful business leaders just recently, making millions of dollars and enjoying a good life, have committed suicide or found themselves in prison. The really sad thing about their greed and dishonesty is that millions are now out of work, millions have lost their homes, and thousands have lost their life savings,
---How many rock stars and movie stars have ended their lives or destroyed their lives by alcoholism and drugs.
---Many say that it is through education that we will create a better world. But how many well educated people, if they separate themselves from God’s ways, have not benefited mankind but added to the pain of this world. We now have more lethal weapons, more sophisticated ways of torture. Think of the architects and engineers who built the concentration camps under the Nazis, the doctors and nurses who did monstrous human experiments on the prisoners. These were well educated people, but were adrift from God’s law and God’s love.
The happiness that Jesus offers us does not end in tragedy but in a life of self giving love, building up a world that reflects more the justice and peace and love that God wills for us all, and a love that goes right into eternal life.
What is life all about? Jesus tells us life is about love—His love for us, a love that even led him to His passion and death on the cross. It is about Him loving you where you are right now in your life and about His continuing forgiveness in your lives. It is about Him giving you His Spirit in Baptism and calling you to follow Him and joining Him to bring his love to the world.
Jesus calls the man in the gospel today to follow him, but he was too tied down by the values and riches of the world, to follow Christ.
Jesus calls out to each and everyone of you. He comes to you in a special way each time you receive our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist, filling you with His love and sending you forth to bring His love to everyone in your life. This is what proclaiming the Word is all about. Do not be afraid to respond to God’s call. He may be calling you eventually to married life, to Religious Life, and even to the Priesthood. But however the Lord calls you know he calls you to a life of love, loving others with the love he bestows upon you.
A favorite image of mine of God’s great love for us is when someone asked our Lord “How much do you love me?” and our Lord Jesus extended his hands as far as they could reach and he said “I love you this much” and then they nailed his hands to the cross. That’s the way our Lord loves each and everyone of us.