From Adolescence to Adulthood we seek to find God

From Adolescence to Adulthood we seek to find God 

It may sound like a non-disclosure theory that means little when spirituality is at risk.  To put this into a meaningful thought, each of us must go beyond the ideas of bringing God into the center of our lives, spiritually or business activities. 

When visiting Canada in Quebec, as I was getting into a pew of a large church, the Lord spoke through my heart saying; “Make me the center of your life.”  It was one of those treasured messages that any of us may hear from the Lord.  It is one that frequently appears during times of drifting away from him urging me to wake up and get back to the business at hand; my soul and the path I may drift away from.  

As children we were always under the auspicious tutelage of our parent’s close watch.  If we were raised with respect towards those who were guardians of our young lives, we would take their teaching with close care to our hearts.  Catholic teaching and respect for the Church’s  

Clergy became a pattern to take into maturity.  I feel that is one criterion that brought many men to the priesthood.  A bad taste of holy Orders presented itself for some who appeared to have been born for this choice, but other attractions entered the lives of some.  One priest, a very close friend and my first teacher in homiletics left the priesthood after his mother died.  One of the reasons many followed their parents' suggestions to enter the seminary was to please them.  I hope there are not too many more with that reason to become a priest.  However, the best encouragement for seeking a life as a priest must come from those closest to them, beginning with their mother.  

My entering into holy Orders as a deacon didn’t start as an encouraging thrust from my parents or my wife.  It was the urging of the Holy Spirit at a Miraculous Medal Novena.  I had mentioned in an earlier article that while at this novena during Advent, I asked myself what to ask for.  A woman’s voice, I believe the Blessed Mother, said to ask for wisdom.  I did, and the rest is history.  Although, even after ordination my parents were elated with the new life I had chosen.

A former pastor told us about the years in America where after ordination of new priests, many were told to find other work since there were too many priests and no place to put them.  Many today would love to see that problem resurface again.  Without priests we will be in terrible problems spiritually.  With them, the Church will continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit and lesser evils such as abortion will have a challenging force against the sin of disobedience to God and his Church.

The words “make me the center of your life” should become the mantra of every person, but especially the clergy who may be tempted to walk away from their vocation.  I applaud the priests who suffer insults from too many who are still in a pain-mode due to the recent scandal of pedophilia.  Yet, the many who did not fall away because of that, the Church is still one and holy.  “And I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”  (Mt 16: 18).  As with all the many promises God has given to mankind, this is one that is still prevalent in 2024.  We still must seek God always.

Ralph B. Hathaway