We have to remind ourselves that our life here on earth is
actually a testing and training ground for what God, our Father and
Creator, wants us to be, that is, that we be his image and likeness,
adopted children of his, meant to share in his very own life in
eternity.
Everything that we are, we have and we do in this life
should be made as an occasion, material or reason for us to attain
that God-given goal for us. Everything should be related and referred
to him. Simply being on our own and doing things on our own, without
any reference to God, is an anomaly. It would surely end in tragedy
even if we feel we are having a good time in our life.
This fundamental truth about ourselves should be
proclaimed time and time again because we are notorious for taking it
for granted, if not for violating it. We have to remind everyone that
we have to take the necessary steps for us to be aware of this truth
and to live according to it.
Obviously, what is truly helpful in this regard is that
everyone learns really how to pray, how to engage God in a continuing
conversation, or at least to have an abiding awareness of his presence
and interventions in our life.
That is why prayer is indispensable in our life. It is
what would make us aware of who we really are, what the real purpose
of our life on earth is, how we ought to behave in the different
situations and circumstances of our life. It is what would help us to
refer everything to God, what would keep us in the proper focus.
When we truly pray and keep that prayerful attitude
throughout the day, converting ourselves practically into a
contemplative soul even while immersed in the things of this world, we
would know how to organize our day properly, keenly discerning and
discriminating among the many options we have at a given moment.
When we pray, we would know how to be in the world without
being of the world or worldly, as Christ mentioned in his priestly
prayer. (cfr. Jn 17,16) We would know how to be immersed in the things
of the world without being swallowed up by them.
Indeed, when we pray we would become most productive and
fruitful in our life, able to convert everything into a means of our
sanctification, with its indispensable companion of apostolate, which
is what truly matters in this life.
It’s a pity that many people get entangled in the things
of this world, as in business and politics, arts and sciences, culture
and technologies, but not knowing how to orient these things to God.
As a result, while they may show some accomplishments, they end up
eaten up by pride, vanity, lust, greed, envy, etc., an example of how
people can gain the world but lose their soul. (cfr. Mt 16,26)
We have to convince ourselves that it is all worthwhile to
always have a sense of focus in our life.
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