SOME seminarians, still fresh and green in seminary life, approached
me the other day to ask about success. When asked what in particular
about success they wanted to know, they fumbled and just said,
anything.
That’s when I realized they were just after fulfilling a class
requirement by making some paper about a topic, something that I, of
course, understood very well. I passed through that stage. I suppose
everyone does.
But the query ignited vivid memories of childhood. Back in my grade
school and high school years, I thought success was having good
grades, reaping honors right and left, having drop-dead looks that
would seduce girls immediately, being versatile in talents, competent
in work, becoming a millionaire and a powerful man in society.
There were many other fantastic ideas that passed through the mind and
engaged me in some suspenseful episodes. But it took some time before
reality would sink in properly. I suppose the youth are entitled
somehow to some extravagant ideas.
Yes, reality has a way of making itself felt. In my case, it was when
I stumbled over a biblical passage that said something like everything
in life is vanity. At that moment, I was also experiencing all sorts
of frustrations and disappointments, making me prone to give favorable
attention to that passage.
I knew some of these disappointments were caused by my exaggerated
expectations. But there were others which I thought I deserved
rightfully but were denied to me. And so I fell into thinking
seriously about what meaning life really has, what success in life
would really consist.
It was only later when I could point the exact citation that really
opened my mind and heart. A priest recited a line from the Book of
Ecclesiastes that struck my attention, first of all, because of its
poetic charm. Only later did I relish its significance.
The line was: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain
by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes,
and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. The sun rises
and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises...”
(Ecc 1,2-5)
And the passage continues in its rhythmic lyricism, pumping in more
and more the realistic message that indeed everything in life is
vanity, and that actually only one thing is necessary. And that is to
be with God.
It does not really matter whether we rise or fall in life in the many
terms our life here can be measured and assessed—money, fame, looks,
health, talents, etc. But it is only when we are with God can we truly
say that we have succeeded in life.
It’s a truth reiterated and reinforced by Christ himself when he said:
“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his
own soul?” And also when he said in the episode of Martha and Mary
that “only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the best part.”
We need to be vigorously awake to this truth, because many now are the
irresistible worldly decoys that divert us from it. That being with
God is the only thing necessary never means that the things of this
world are not important, that we can take a passive attitude toward
them or that we just be mediocre about them.
Rather the contrary. Being with God would push us to the limit to make
the most out of whatever we do or whatever happens to us in this life.
And that is to trust him, to love him, and because of that love, we
have to love others the way God loves all of us.
Whatever happens here, whether we rise or fall, whether we win or
lose, only has relative value. What is of absolute value is being with
God. This is what true success is. This is how genuine success has to
be assessed and measured.
Many times, we have to make a choice between God and us. St. Augustine
precisely formulated the choice we have to make in the life in the
most radical way by saying that it’s always a choice between God and
us everytime we do something.
We have to make sure that we win the favor of God before we consider
winning the favor of men. Let’s follow the example of St. Peter, and
many other saints who articulated their choice by saying that they
obey God first before they obey men.
True success lies there, and not in any other.
me the other day to ask about success. When asked what in particular
about success they wanted to know, they fumbled and just said,
anything.
That’s when I realized they were just after fulfilling a class
requirement by making some paper about a topic, something that I, of
course, understood very well. I passed through that stage. I suppose
everyone does.
But the query ignited vivid memories of childhood. Back in my grade
school and high school years, I thought success was having good
grades, reaping honors right and left, having drop-dead looks that
would seduce girls immediately, being versatile in talents, competent
in work, becoming a millionaire and a powerful man in society.
There were many other fantastic ideas that passed through the mind and
engaged me in some suspenseful episodes. But it took some time before
reality would sink in properly. I suppose the youth are entitled
somehow to some extravagant ideas.
Yes, reality has a way of making itself felt. In my case, it was when
I stumbled over a biblical passage that said something like everything
in life is vanity. At that moment, I was also experiencing all sorts
of frustrations and disappointments, making me prone to give favorable
attention to that passage.
I knew some of these disappointments were caused by my exaggerated
expectations. But there were others which I thought I deserved
rightfully but were denied to me. And so I fell into thinking
seriously about what meaning life really has, what success in life
would really consist.
It was only later when I could point the exact citation that really
opened my mind and heart. A priest recited a line from the Book of
Ecclesiastes that struck my attention, first of all, because of its
poetic charm. Only later did I relish its significance.
The line was: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain
by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes,
and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. The sun rises
and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises...”
(Ecc 1,2-5)
And the passage continues in its rhythmic lyricism, pumping in more
and more the realistic message that indeed everything in life is
vanity, and that actually only one thing is necessary. And that is to
be with God.
It does not really matter whether we rise or fall in life in the many
terms our life here can be measured and assessed—money, fame, looks,
health, talents, etc. But it is only when we are with God can we truly
say that we have succeeded in life.
It’s a truth reiterated and reinforced by Christ himself when he said:
“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his
own soul?” And also when he said in the episode of Martha and Mary
that “only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the best part.”
We need to be vigorously awake to this truth, because many now are the
irresistible worldly decoys that divert us from it. That being with
God is the only thing necessary never means that the things of this
world are not important, that we can take a passive attitude toward
them or that we just be mediocre about them.
Rather the contrary. Being with God would push us to the limit to make
the most out of whatever we do or whatever happens to us in this life.
And that is to trust him, to love him, and because of that love, we
have to love others the way God loves all of us.
Whatever happens here, whether we rise or fall, whether we win or
lose, only has relative value. What is of absolute value is being with
God. This is what true success is. This is how genuine success has to
be assessed and measured.
Many times, we have to make a choice between God and us. St. Augustine
precisely formulated the choice we have to make in the life in the
most radical way by saying that it’s always a choice between God and
us everytime we do something.
We have to make sure that we win the favor of God before we consider
winning the favor of men. Let’s follow the example of St. Peter, and
many other saints who articulated their choice by saying that they
obey God first before they obey men.
True success lies there, and not in any other.
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