Where am I headed? (What is the Direction of My Life?)
By Abba Jimmy (Theoloscience).
Some considerations and actions to walk in the best direction guided with the best Compass.
[Jesus] also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they, not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like his Teacher. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but do not realize the log in your eye? How can you say to your brother: ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,’ when you do not see the log in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the plank from your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye (Luke 6:3942).
No one who does not allow himself to be guided by the Master will become a good guide for others. God is the one who can and knows how to guide us through this life towards truth, holiness, the freedom of the children of God, and towards our definitive Homeland.
Jesus has given us the Gospel; He is the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus has the power to guide us through the truth and to the truth, which tells us that we human beings need direction. We need to know where we come from, where we are, where we are going and how to get there.
This Gospel challenges us to observe the direction we are giving to our lives. So when we read this Gospel passage (Luke 6:39–42), questions like these are necessary: In which direction am I walking? Where am I headed? What is my ultimate goal? And everything I do during the day contributes to getting closer to my goal or takes me away from it? But a super important question is this: What is my purpose? Is God in my plans?
Does the hustle and bustle, rush, stress, and tiredness make sense in my life? What do I want? What is my ultimate pursuit? Is what I want the same thing that God wants for me? Is what I am pursuing the same thing that God wants for me? What do I spend my energy on? Am I growing? Am I maturing as a disciple of Jesus? These and other similar questions can help us to reflect, evaluate and review the direction of our life and compare it with the guide it should take according to God’s plan for us.
In this Gospel, I believe that the sight of the eyes is a metaphor to signify illumination, a clear conscience, and right reason. A conscience illuminated by the Word of God is a conscience that knows where it is going. On the contrary, the conscience that has not yet received the light of the Gospel is in the dark. It does not see the light. Hence, it does not have a sound direction, much less does it know why to point itself to a specific point.
We read this in this Gospel passage:
[Jesus] also made this comparison to them: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they, not both fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to the Teacher; when he becomes perfect, he will be like his Teacher. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and not see the log in yours? How can you say to your brother: “Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,” you, who do not see the log that you have in yours? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
When we let the Gospel lead us, we will come to see how Jesus sees, to think as Jesus thinks, to want the things that Jesus wants — above all, to do the will of his Father in everything. When the Gospel permeates our entire being and comes out of our pores, we will be like Jesus. But, for now, we have to recognize that we are disciples and that Jesus is the Teacher. So then, we have to go from being beginner disciples to intermediate disciples, to then become advanced disciples — it is here, at this level, that we will begin to become more like Jesus.
What actions can we take to grow as a disciple of Jesus?
Here are some practical exercises for us:
Action #1: Amid the hustle and bustle of this fast-paced life, place yourself in a reverent posture. It can be in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon, or at night. It helps me wash my hands with soap and water to prepare for this exercise.
Action #2: With your imagination, put Jesus in front of you, and stand in front of Jesus. Invoke his presence by saying words like these: Jesus, Son of God, here I am with You. Thank you for being with me. With your eyes closed, look at Jesus next to you.
Everyone experiences temptations in different ways and degrees. The enemy of God knows our weaknesses. That’s where the enemy attacks. So what to do when temptation arises?
Action #3: Resist temptation with the power of divine grace, invoking the assistance of the Holy Spirit, open the Bible and read the Gospel so that temptation will dissipate.
Action #4: Be present in the community, family, or group. Do your best to arrive early. See if you can help with anything. Approach people, look them in the eye, and listen carefully to what they are communicating to you. This is a shaft.
Action #5: Actively participate in the Sunday Liturgy of the Church. Active participation here means sharing the gifts God has given you with the assembly.
