What's Important

I’ve read many thousands of books in my life, seeking truth. The Bible, the Catechism, and others that I have read, I will read again and again, for the depths of their wisdom cannot ever be reached by my tiny brain. And I have spent many hours in prayer: “Lord, that I might see.”

In recent days I have heard and read the words of many a troubled soul, self-proclaimed Catholics worrying about many things: damage to the environment, the health of the poor, world-wide poverty, and even world-wide excess. I have read of people deeply concerned about the shortage of priests, the souls of bishops, and the conversion of the world. All of these things do seem worthy of concern and worth writing many words about, and of saying many prayers about. But of what should I be writing about? What should be MY deep concern?

Last night a young woman spoke to me of her desire for heaven, and wanting to get as much of it as she could. It was a deep and good desire, but I left our conversation somewhat conflicted: from some wanting everything good for everyone in the world, to this one wanting everything good for herself: what is the greatest of these things? Is getting to heaven myself the most important? If I were to spend my life focused on doing the greatest good, what should I be doing? I prayed this morning: “Lord, what would You have me do? What is the greatest?”

And in the quiet of the chapel I remembered (and heard?): “And the greatest of these is love.” I think God answered me. Oh, it was not an answer I hadn’t heard before, but perhaps He must keep telling me and telling me, again and again, and yet AGAIN in differing ways, because I keep asking Him the same question again and again, in differing ways.

Once I had pondered about the greatest learning I had achieved in my life thus far, and concluded it was this: Q. Why did God make me? A. To know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him …. The Q&A of my third grade religion class, yet it took me a lifetime to understand, “And the greatest of these is love.”

Of all the works of Scripture, of philosophers, and of theologians I have read, I wondered, is there one great insight that has been given especially to me? What greatest thing has God told me that I needed to understand to give meaning to MY life, to focus my purpose, to give me the truth and wisdom I have sought?

God, through His Son, came to save the world, to save and repair all of creation, to reveal to us how we might join him in the place He promised, to tell us and to give us the example of what He would have us do … if we are to obtain eternal life. And this he did, not in grandiose miracles, not as a God changing His world, or His country, or even His city. He came and talked to, worked miracles for, and loved: individuals. He focused his life, his example for our life, on one person at a time. This is the one greatest insight I have gained in my life, from all my readings, from all my prayers, this one great gift of wisdom: Q. Lord, what would you have me do? A. Love one another.

Perhaps by my actions He may begin great changes to the world. Perhaps He may use me as an example to change peoples’ hearts, and He may make a great renewal of the country or even His Church spring forth. Perhaps, by my actions great works of charity will be begun, to feed the hungry, to comfort the poor. Perhaps.

God once gave me an answer to my nightly prayers for the end to abortion. While my mind was seeking a change to the Supreme Court or new legislators who would reverse Roe v Wade, he showed me a very small band of people who were saving babies one at a time, and these people needed my meager financial help, and asked only for my prayers. And I gave them both, but I realized, in learning of their work and its results, that my nightly prayers were answered. Here was the end to abortion that I so fervently prayed for: one abortion ended at a time. One person stopped at a time. One person loved at a time.

God didn’t create me to save the world; he gave that task to someone much greater than I. My greatest insight, the greatest Wisdom given me by God: He came to show us how to change the world and all that is wrong with it. He came to change nations, and all that is wrong with them. He came to change the hearts of all men, and turn them to Him. And he did all this one person, one miracle, one act of love at a time. This is what He showed me in His life, and now, in my heart.

So don’t worry, my friends, about those grandiose changes we would like to see in the environment, in the world, in our government, in the Church, or even in the hearts of peoples – even in our own. These are things for God to worry about. All we should be worrying about is our neighbor, our family, one person at a time. Help and love the one, the example He gave us of how we might live life to its fullest, and then have faith in Him to do all the grandiose things. In His plan of creation, I am supremely important, but I am just one small part of His plan. I shouldn’t worry about the whole, how the whole plan is being done, nor even if I can do more. I should focus on finding and doing what he created me to be, and nothing more. I shouldn’t seek to make myself a bigger part of the picture, lest I spoil the beauty and holiness of creation.

This is the greatest insight God has given me. Praise be to God, from His lowly servant. Lord, what would you have me do?

Peace.