What's it all for?

What is it all for anyway?

“The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.” –Leon Bloy

To put it another way, the only great tragedy in life is not to become who you really are created to be (which is exactly what we want deep down inside - to fulfill our purpose.)

Matthew Kelly says it well when he speaks of becoming "the best version of yourself."

I would like to introduce that person to my wife some day.  I would like my kids to know the best version of their father so that they, in turn, will be inspired and enabled to become to best versions of themselves i.e. exactly who God created them to be.

God shows us how to become authentically human.  He shows us because He did it Himself.  The first Adam, our first "father" fell away and chose not to live in God's perfect image but rather out of his own selfish desires (a good definition of sin is simply that - selfishness.)  But Jesus Christ is the "New Adam."  He is the eternal Son of God become human so as to show the sons of men how to be their true selves - sons of God.

The son of God became a son of man so that sons of men might become sons of God. 

God wasn't content to leave you where you're at.  He wants to enter in your life right here, right in the place where you are so that you would enter into the place where He is.

Christianity is a religion based on a relationship with God bent on getting us to become Saints (read "exceedingly happy people who want to help others to become exceedingly happy people.")  Fulfillment, joy, peace etc. can only truly be found when we ourselves are found.

"For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. (from the parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15:24)

(Rembrandt's "Return of the Prodigal Son."  See how calm the son is when he's back where He belongs: resting on the Father's Heart.  What jumps out at you in looking at this picture? What stirs your heart and what could God be trying to say to you through this piece of art?)

He's been looking for us ever since to Garden of Eden, "The Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:9)

So where are you?

If you're not in a good place you don't have to stay there.

You don't have to stay there.

"I will get up and go to my Father..." (Luke 15:18)

That's where you belong: home.

Life lived in relationship with Christ is meant to be a homecoming, a process is "coming into ourselves," our true selves and finding out that God our Father has been waiting for us in the truth of our being all along.  He is not where you are not.  He is where you are -where the real you is.  When you discover who you really are (His child) then you will, at the same time, discover Who He is - your Father.

Because the only real tragedy in life is not to become a Saint - and a Saint is someone very much at home.

-MM