What do i want in life

7/31/2016

STEP #1: LECTIO / READ

Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves
but are not rich in what matters to God.”

STEP #2: MEDITATIO / MEDITATE

What do you want out of life?

This is one of my favorite ways to get to know someone. It can tell you so much about them depending on their answer. This is the heart of the Gospel message today: what do you want out of life?

Take a few moments and answer this question for yourself. What do I want out of life?
I don't know what your answer was. Was it about your future plans? Was it about your dream career? Dream college? Was it about relationships? You want to be married? Have a family? Maybe it was about pleasing your parents? Maybe it was about traveling, all the places you want to go, everything you want to see? Maybe it was about goals you want to accomplish? Or the car you hope to buy? Maybe it was something else entirely.

Let me ask you the same question, but in a different way. If this was your funeral, what would you want them to say? Would you want them to talk about your car? Or your travels? Or your career? What do you want your legacy to be?

I don't know what you said to any of these questions. There's not really a wrong answer. But there is one answer that should come first: knowing and loving God.

Knowing and loving God is what matters. Life is not about possessions. Life is not about where we go. It is even not about our college choices or our career paths. Life is about knowing God and leading others to Him.

Maybe this sounds crazy to you. But knowing Jesus and following Him isn't about giving up what makes you you or becoming some sort of Christian robot. I think a lot of people fear that. Instead knowing and loving Jesus truly helps you find yourself.

How will you follow Jesus? Do you know Him? I mean really and truly know Him?
Ask Jesus for help with what you need. Maybe it is about entering into a relationship with Him. Maybe it is about going deeper into a relationship with Him you're working on building?

Today, open your heart to where Jesus wants you. Open your heart to following Him and putting Him first. Open your heart to making Jesus the most important part of your life.

"It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise. " - St. John Paul II

STEP #3: ORATIO / PRAY

What do I value?

What do I want out of life?

STEP #4: CONTEMPLATIO / CONTEMPLATE

"I choose you Jesus."

"Jesus, be part of my life."

FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAY...

Make a list of three goals for your life. Take some time to think about them, pray about them. What do you really want to do with your life?

SMARTPHONE LOCK SCREEN

Today's prayer was prepared by Lisa Kendzior.

CARPE VERBUM