May 17 Sat
What should be the goal of every Christian?
A Christian has received in baptism the gift of sanctifying grace, which makes him participate in the divine nature, and enables him to act in a divine manner. This divine life, as it happened with natural life, is destined to grow through prayer, the sacraments, and the exercise of the supernatural virtues.
Life is not only fighting against sin; it is not something negative. The life of a Christian must be centered in Jesus Christ, who understands us because He is our friend, knows our worries, our needs, and our feelings.
Christian life is destined to grow, because it is based on love; it is destined to spread around. Love either grows or weakens. With the good kind of love, we are raised up to God; with the bad one, we sink into the abyss. If you say enough, you are lost. Grow, keep on advancing, always; don’t remain idle. Help others to come to Love.
The goal of every Christian is to be holy and to help sanctify others.
“Whoever has the word of wisdom, but does not want to use it for the good of his neighbor, is like the person who puts his money into a purse, and then keeps it permanently closed. Hidden wisdom and concealed treasure, what advantage is there in either of them?" St Gregory taught.
When anyone has something good, when they are happy, when they know they are fortunate, they strive to share that blessing and joy with others.
“Aren't you saddened to see so many restless young people around you searching vainly for an ideal? Shout to them: ‘Fools! Leave those petty things that shrink your heart... and very often degrade it. Leave all that and come with us in search of Love!’"
Our desire to identify ourselves with Christ leads us to feel responsible for the salvation of all souls. We can't limit ourselves to helping just one person or a few people to seek sanctity, with false excuses that would denote weak love. We must find a way to reach many souls. The cry of countless anguished voices reaches us, clamoring from the darkness of their lives for a worthwhile ideal. How many people who cross our path await only an encouraging word, a kind look, or our clear example, in order to resolve to love God above all things and serve others for God! “Not a single soul - not one - can be a matter of indifference to you.”
Our personal Christian vocation is a flame that must spread, turning our lives and the lives of those around us into an ever-burning ember. This is “the personal apostolate that each one tries to carry out continually, as though always hearing those divine words: I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled!"
This apostolic concern should shape our whole life. The sight of a world straying from God has to be a constant spur for us. Our task is immense and pressing: we are called to restore Christian meaning to the lives of so many people who impatiently await a friend's conversation, full of supernatural outlook. Then, as they begin to grasp the divine meaning of their daily lives, we have to be at hand to guide them.
Our life, in sum, is to be mediators between God and others by our identification with Christ. If we live in this way, we'll bring back joy to countless people and guide them on the path to salvation.
But everything depends on our falling more and more in love with our Lord, identifying ourselves with him. Bringing Christ to souls, and souls to Christ, gives meaning to our lives. All contrary to it, is worthless, and we get rid of it so as not to distort the brightness of the divine message.