It’s God’s call, not ours, to be followed

THE most important question in life is not, “What do I want?” but “What does God want?” That is the ideal protocol for every Christian. Life is not meant to be directed merely by our plans, ambitions, or preferences. Our first task is to discern God’s will, and our lasting mission is to follow it. 

 Many fear that surrendering to God’s will diminishes freedom. The opposite is true. True freedom is not doing whatever we please but choosing the good for which we were created. God’s will never suppresses our humanity; it perfects it. It leads us to become the persons we were always meant to be. 

 This is because our life is not simply our own. It is God’s gift before it is our possession. We exist not only because he created us but because he destined us to share in his very life. Created in his image and likeness, we enjoy a unique closeness to God among all creatures. We are called to participate in his divine life. 

 Sadly, this foundational truth is often forgotten. Many live as though life begins and ends with earthly success, comfort, or personal fulfillment. They remain unaware that every moment carries a divine invitation. More than teaching this truth, we must also learn the practical art of living it faithfully every day. 

 Discerning God’s call requires faith. And genuine faith cannot exist without humility. Humility enables us to acknowledge that God sees farther than we do, knows better than we do, and loves us more than we love ourselves. Without humility, we easily replace God’s will with our own. 

 That is why continuous formation in the faith is indispensable. We must constantly deepen our understanding of Sacred Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and sound Christian doctrine. Otherwise, we become selective believers, embracing only those truths that fit our preferences while ignoring those that challenge us. When that happens, we remake God in our image instead of allowing him to reshape us in his. 

 At the same time, we must cultivate the habit of spiritual discernment. God speaks quietly—in prayer, in conscience, in ordinary events, and through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. His voice is often drowned out by noise, distractions, emotions, and worldly concerns. Learning to listen requires silence, recollection, and a contemplative spirit. 

 This also means recognizing the full reality of who we are. We are not merely physical beings driven by instinct, nor simply rational beings guided by logic. We are spiritual persons called to supernatural communion with God. Every decision should therefore be judged not only by what is practical, pleasurable, or even reasonable, but also by what leads us closer to God. 

 Our human faculties must be properly ordered. The body, emotions, intellect, and spirit all have their rightful place, but they are not equal. The spiritual dimension must guide the rest. Only then can our humanity flourish in its fullness and our deepest aspirations find lasting fulfillment. 

 Unfortunately, many settle for far less. They live only at the level of immediate needs, pleasures, or material achievements. This is a kind of poverty that is more serious than economic deprivation. It is an impoverishment of the human spirit. People become content with merely existing instead of truly living the life God has prepared for them. 

 We cannot remain trapped at the level of the senses or even of reason alone. We are called to rise higher. As St. Paul reminds us, we are meant to become spiritual men and women, allowing the Spirit of God to direct our thoughts, choices, and actions. Only then do we discover the freedom, joy, and fullness that come from following not our own call, but God’s.

Keeping ourselves clean in a dirty world

THE parable of the good seeds and the weeds (Mt. 13:24-30) reminds us of a truth we cannot ignore. Good and evil coexist in this world. Virtue grows alongside vice. Holiness must contend with sin. That is the reality we face every day. 

 We live amid corruption, dishonesty, impurity, pride, selfishness and deception. We cannot completely avoid these realities. The challenge is not to run away from the world but to remain spiritually clean while living and working in it. Christ himself showed us how. 

 He entered a sinful world without being tainted by its sin. He embraced suffering, rejection and death while remaining perfectly united with the will of the Father. His example teaches us that we may come into contact with the world's dirt, but we should never allow it to stain our soul or weaken our fidelity to God. 

 Our concern, however, should not stop at protecting ourselves from evil. We have a mission. Every Christian is called to help cleanse the world by bringing Christ's truth, charity and hope wherever he or she may be. We are meant to be instruments of God's transforming grace in our homes, workplaces and communities. 

 This mission is impossible without a deep union with God. 

 Instead of asking to be spared from life's difficulties, we should pray for the grace to remain close to God in every circumstance. Only through him can we stay spiritually clean while courageously facing the challenges around us. His grace enables us not only to resist evil but also to overcome it with good. 

 Real holiness is never superficial. It is not about projecting a polished religious image or seeking the admiration of others. Genuine holiness bears the marks of sacrifice. It accepts inconveniences, misunderstandings and suffering out of love for God. It perseveres quietly because it knows that every cross carried with Christ has redemptive value. 

 That is why we should never neglect our spiritual life. 

 Daily prayer keeps us connected with God. Frequent reception of the sacraments strengthens the soul. Spiritual direction offers guidance, while continuing formation deepens our understanding of the faith. At the same time, we should strive to grow in the virtues and learn to fight the spiritual battles that inevitably come with following Christ. 

 Among the most effective means of spiritual growth is the daily examination of conscience. This simple but powerful practice allows us to review our day before God. We recognize where we responded generously to his grace, where we failed, and where we need to improve. Without this regular self-examination, we can slowly drift into complacency and compromise without even noticing it. 

 The examination of conscience also helps us uncover the motives behind our thoughts, words and actions. Did we act out of love or pride? Were our decisions guided by faith or by convenience? Did we seek God's will or merely our own comfort? These questions gradually sharpen our conscience and strengthen our commitment to live as authentic disciples of Christ. 

 As we become more aware of our weaknesses, we also become more grateful for God's mercy. Every sincere examination should lead us to repentance, renewed resolve and greater confidence in God's grace. Holiness is not achieved by human effort alone but by faithfully cooperating with the grace that God constantly gives us. 

 The weeds may continue to grow around us, but they should never discourage us. Christ has already overcome the world. Our task is to remain good seed—firmly rooted in him, continually purified by his grace, and actively bringing his light into places darkened by sin. 

 That is how we keep ourselves clean in a dirty world while helping cleanse it with the love, truth and grace of Christ.

Mercy over sacrifice

CHRIST said it plainly: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” He made this declaration after some leading Jews accused his disciples of violating the sabbath by plucking ears of corn to satisfy their hunger. (cfr. Mt 12,1-8) 

 With those words, Christ was teaching a fundamental truth: mercy, compassion, and genuine human need must always take precedence over a rigid and legalistic observance of rules. The sabbath was instituted for man's benefit—for rest, worship, and renewal—not as an oppressive burden. 

 That lesson remains relevant today. We need a proper understanding of laws and the attitude we should have toward them. Laws are necessary and indispensable for maintaining justice, peace, and order in society. Without them, confusion and arbitrariness would prevail. 

 But beyond simple compliance, we should recognize that every law finds its fullest meaning only in the heart of Christ, where justice is always united with mercy and truth is inseparable from charity. 

 That’s why there are occasions when exceptions to human laws can rightly be made. No law, however carefully crafted, can fully capture every concrete human situation or perfectly express the boundless mercy of God. Human legislation is always limited because it is the work of finite minds. It must therefore be interpreted and applied with wisdom, compassion, and a sincere concern for the good of persons. 

 We should be especially vigilant against the danger of legalism, which values the letter of the law while neglecting its spirit. The best safeguard against this temptation is to cultivate a living union with Christ. 

 Everything—including our legal and judicial systems, as well as the drafting, interpretation, and enforcement of laws—should constantly be referred to him. 

 Christ himself made this point unmistakably when the Pharisees questioned him about his disciples' conduct on the sabbath. He answered: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” (cfr. Mk 2,23-28) With those words, he restored the proper hierarchy: laws exist to promote authentic human flourishing and ultimately to lead us to God. 

 Our human laws should therefore be grounded on the natural law, which is our participation in God's eternal law. God, our Creator, is the first and ultimate lawgiver, and every just law derives its authority from him. 

 More specifically, the natural moral law recognizes God as the source, foundation, and end of all law. It reminds us that we are created in God's image and likeness, called to become his children and to share in his divine life. Every legal system worthy of the name should respect this transcendent truth and direct the human person toward authentic freedom and moral goodness. 

 A legal system detached from this foundation is already defective from the beginning. When law rests solely on human consensus or changing public opinion, the letter inevitably prevails over the spirit. Man then assumes the role that belongs to God alone, acting as though he were the supreme lawgiver, fully capable of defining truth, justice, and even human nature according to his own preferences. 

 Yet even when our legal system explicitly acknowledges God as the source and end of all law, it still reflects the limitations of our human condition. That is why the letter of the law must always be enlivened by its proper spirit—the Spirit of God, who inspires wisdom, justice, mercy, and charity. 

 For this reason, God must remain at the center of every stage of our legal life: in making laws, interpreting them, and applying them. Only then can our laws truly serve their highest purpose—leading every person toward his ultimate destiny: communion with God, holiness of life, and everlasting happiness in him.