We can’t have everything

That’s right. We can’t have everything we want in this life. And the simple reason is that our human condition itself has limitations even if deep inside us there is a yearning for something without limits.

Let’s remember that we are a blend of body and soul, of the material and the spiritual. Our material dimension is always subject to space and time, and therefore limited to a certain place at a certain time. But our spiritual side is poised for infinity, for the eternal. We just have to learn how to live with this condition of ours.

What is important is that we know what is truly essential in life and avoid getting entangled in the non-essentials even if these latter things also serve some important purpose. And this can only mean that we have God as our first priority, for he is everything to us.

St. Paul has this to say about this point. “As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed.” (1 Tim 6,17-19)

In a world that is today awash with material and earthly things, we have to exert some special effort, with God’s grace, to keep our focus on God, on heaven, on the spiritual and supernatural realities that are the integral and defining parts of our life.

We have to sharpen our skill at discerning what truly comes from God and leads to him. We have to learn how to say no to certain things that we know would just be a distraction or, worse, a temptation that leads us to sin.

In this regard, it is worthwhile remembering Christ’s words: “Whoever wants to be my disciples must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mt 16,24) We need to regularly examine ourselves if indeed we follow everyday this clear indication of Christ. Let’s remember that it is very easy for us to get confused and lost in our daily affairs, leading us to ignore and forget God, and later to go against him.

Every day, let’s make it a habit to deny ourselves of something concrete, be it a gadget, a snack, anything that can give us some comfort and convenience but are not indispensable. We need to see to it that such denials would be motivated by love of God and others and would lead us as well to a greater love for God and for others. That should be the dynamic of such self-denials.

The important thing is that we manage to keep our spiritual and supernatural bearing always. We should always be guided by our faith and not simply by our reasoning, our common sense and the trends and developments around, though these latter things also have their role to play in our life.

The important thing is that guided by faith, we are aware of the workings of hope and charity in our life. We are always aware that we are in some journey in this life, a journey toward eternity, toward heaven and God. And for us to advance in that journey, we feel the urge to grow in love for God and for others.

That is when we can feel that even while here on earth, we can already have some foretaste of that everything, of that eternal bliss promised by Christ. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” Chris said, “and all these things will be given you as well.” (Mt 6,33)