This fleeting moment called life

[IronHammer]

Lately all I hear are people whining about how they can’t seem to ever get a break or get ahead in life. Some whine about the fact that God never seems to answer their prayers. Others have this notion that if they believe with all their heart and all their souls that somehow, God will remove them their low position in life and shower them with gifts from heaven, their pain and misery all but forgotten.

Isn’t the point of our Faith, our walk with Christ and bearing our cross daily is to ‘finish the race’, as St. Paul put it, all the while trying to bring as many souls to Christ as possible? One thing I certainly believe, is that this life is temporary. It is a test of our souls. If we believe in Jesus, we will live forever in Heaven. If we deny Jesus, we live forever…in Hell.

If I am to be a Christian, then I know these things to be the uncompromising Truth of the Gospel, regardless of whether I am Catholic or not:

Christ commands me to love God, the Father, with my all of my heart, mind, soul and strength! (Mark 12:30) Talk about uncompromising!

Christ commands me to die to myself and pick up my cross daily so that I might live in Him. (Mark 8:34) This isn’t just for priests, it is for everyone! This single command has such deep and powerful meaning…

Christ commands me to love others even as He loves us. (John 15:12) This means helping the poor, feeding the hungry and consoling the suffering as if they were our own brothers/sisters or sons/daughters!

I feel an immediate need to heed these commandments for my Lord. But I am a husband and father of two. I have a regular job living an average life of soccer games and girls scout meetings in between working and visiting family on the weekends. I help out at church and have an hour of adoration. I pray daily and place all my cares and worries in His hands. I am a devout, God-fearing Catholic but I fear I am not doing enough in this world.

Given that this life is but a fleeting moment in the eternity of our souls, I wonder if someone feels like reflecting with me on these questions:

1. How do we reconcile the life Christ is calling us to with the life we are living? Is that even possible?
2. Isn’t a savings account considered “storing up treasures on earth”?
3. Is college and professional life a vain pursuit??

Then again, maybe I am just a closet zealot
Thanks!

 

[i_have_no_names]

1. How do we reconcile the life Christ is calling us to with the life we are living? Is that even possible?
2. Isn’t a savings account considered “storing up treasures on earth”?
3. Is college and professional life a vain pursuit??

I don’t understand your first question. But the second two are very good. I’ve often wondered about them myself.
I’m sorry I can’t answer them. But hopefully someone else can because I also would like to read what others have to say about them

 

[Pani_Rose]

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, pour forth your abundant grace and mercy by your love poured out on your Cross for mankind. Amen! :byzsoc:

 

[Mijoy2]

Given that this life is but a fleeting moment in the eternity of our souls, I wonder if someone feels like reflecting with me on these questions:

1. How do we reconcile the life Christ is calling us to with the life we are living? Is that even possible?

I hope it’s possible. We must live in this world, by it’s rules and by it’s laws to a certain extent. I believe it’s a balace that Christ is calling us to.

1. Isn’t a savings account considered “storing up treasures on earth”?

I don’t consider my savings account a treasure, I consider it a necessity. If I were to lose my job today and struggle in finding another, the amount I have in savings might buy me some time. I certainly couldn’t live off it for the remainder of my life if I were to live near an average lifespan.

1. Is college and professional life a vain pursuit??

Isn’t it a necassary pursuit? I like my job, but I do it because I must, not because I choose. I’d prefer to help others in need, and to devote more time to a better understanding of Christ and the Gospel. But, I must work for shelter, food, and a reasonable retirement.

My understanding is that Christ doesn’t call all to be Religious, He calls all too a vocation and to most that vocation is marriage. To fulfill this vocation honorably one must enter this world, by it’s rules (as long as not in contradiction to His teachings), and do the best they can at both fulfilling thier obligations to thier family and community and pursuing Christ and honoring His Bride, the Church.

Not always easy, there are many crosses to bear along the way.

Then again, maybe I am just a closet zealot
Thanks!

 

[IronHammer]

I don’t understand your first question. But the second two are very good. I’ve often wondered about them myself.
I’m sorry I can’t answer them. But hopefully someone else can because I also would like to read what others have to say about them

Let’s see if I can lay the question out differently then. We are called to live our lives for God through Jesus’ example. Once we have made this decision to accept His grace, we are called to forsake everything to help feed, clothe and comfort His children in need, save souls by spreading the Good News and to be an integral part of the Body of Christ which strives to bring about His Kingdom on earth. I see this in scripture and the writings of the early church fathers, but I don’t see it today. Not with the same passion and committment, anyway.

JP II and Benedict XVI hit the nail squarely on the head when they said the world is being corrupted by materialism and consumerism. We, as Christians, talk the talk, but are we walking the Walk?

 

[IronHammer]

I hope it’s possible. We must live in this world, by it’s rules and by it’s laws to a certain extent. I believe it’s a balace that Christ is calling us to.

That’s where I struggle. Where is that balance?

I don’t consider my savings account a treasure, I consider it a necessity. If I were to lose my job today and struggle in finding another, the amount I have in savings might buy me some time. I certainly couldn’t live off it for the remainder of my life if I were to live near an average lifespan.

Is that savings account truly a necessity though? Or is it selfish? Think about it. Are we saving for ourselves – for our own benefit, rather than the benefit of others? Is that the truest definition of selfish? Look at the example Ananias and Sapphira.

Isn’t it a necassary pursuit? I like my job, but I do it because I must, not because I choose. I’d prefer to help others in need, and to devote more time to a better understanding of Christ and the Gospel. But, I must work for shelter, food, and a reasonable retirement.

I agree that a job is a necessity. But it is only that. But does that job destroy what Christ started in us when we allow our job to become the focus of our lives, the provider of our savings, the launch pad for our kid’s college. What does it say about us when our job has gone far beyond providing food, water and shelter?

My understanding is that Christ doesn’t call all to be Religious, He calls all too a vocation and to most that vocation is marriage. To fulfill this vocation honorably one must enter this world, by it’s rules (as long as not in contradiction to His teachings), and do the best they can at both fulfilling thier obligations to thier family and community and pursuing Christ and honoring His Bride, the Church.

I disagree. Christ calls everyone to holiness. True, some are teachers, some are priests, some are deacons. But all are called to live the message of Christ.

I guess my point is, nothing in this world is worth anything, in the end. Our savings, our retirement, our cars and our comfortable home. None of it matters because we are here for one thing – to love God with everything we have. That means doing His will completely, whether our vocation is marriage, the priesthood or the single life.

This life is not ours. It isn’t what we were meant for. We were meant to live with God as His children in Heaven after we have passed the test here on earth.