The greatest challenge to our growing in virtue occurs because of our focus on ourselves. We want ever more for ourselves, and we want it now. We let ourselves become the focus of our lives, the never-ending thoughts of “I”. Virtues have to do with your neighbor, and your relationship to him. You can’t grow in holiness; you can’t grow in virtue, if you can’t get past “I”.
If our neighbor is in our house, if he travels with us in our car, or if he is next to us walking in the mall, our mind is very aware of his presence. Our thoughts naturally turn to him: What can we say of interest to him; what can we do together; what worries are on his mind? We find a joy in his presence, and in just being his neighbor.
Jesus is our neighbor. He is ALWAYS next to us. Why do we so often ignore Him, and focus on the all-important “I”? If we find joy in our neighbor’s presence, why don’t we find joy in Jesus’ presence?
If we never spoke to him, if we never laughed together with him, if we never were concerned with what he thought, would our neighbor visit us, journey with us, or walk with us, anymore? Would he care what happens to us? Would he be there in our time of need?
Why should Jesus?
If we stay in our house alone, focused on “I”, despite all our efforts, honestly, just how much joy do we bring ourselves? When I listened to the book “The Last Lecture,” the college professor spoke of all the happiness he went out and got for himself, everything he wanted he went out and got. I wonder why, then, he faced death with no joy --- despite all this “happiness” he went out and got. Despite all the accomplishments and all the happiness, as he stated, “I” got, he still sounded like a man facing death without joy, but only a sadness.
A “lone”, we are alone. Life is not about what “I” can accomplish, but what “WE” can accomplish.
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