I just read Matthew 6:22-23, "The lamp of the eye is the body...."
In that scripture, disciples are encouraged to make sure that the eyes of their heart rightly perceive what is good and valuable in light of the Kingdom of Heaven. The eyes of their heart must stay exclusively focused on obtaining and growing the Kingdom of Heaven.
How do we do that? I believe the answer to that question is more challenging than it might appear at first glance.
In our zeal to do the Lord's will, we might think that building the Kingdom exclusively prioritizes traditionally religious activities. While those things certainly are part of building the Kingdom, I believe that God sometimes wants to broaden our horizons. He may have a plan for how our hobbies, friendships, dreams and desires can build up the Kingdom, too.
In my own case, I've wondered from time to time if God is calling me to the consecrated life. For many, this is our idea of "giving God the most." I love prayer and our Catholic faith so much, and I certainly have the will power to commit to the evangelical counsels if God asked me to. However, whenever I ponder this way of life, I experience desolations. I've come to realize that the people I've been called to love are outside the structure of religious of life. For me to choose religious life is, mysteriously, to choose personal (spiritual) aggrandizement over love. When I focus on loving others and the life path that makes me feel most deeply connected in service, it is not the consecrated life.
My own case is a great example of how our "idea" of what it means to prioritize the Kingdom of God can sometimes get in the way, however well intentioned. Instead, when we don't try too hard, and we remain open to our hobbies, friendships, and the things we are genuinely and naturally drawn to, we might find that God has a plan for those things. If we were to force ourselves into a mold of any kind, however well intentioned, we might miss out on our unique purpose and mission.
An overly restrictive interpretation of religion draws too rigid of a distinction between things that are holy and things that are not. Traditional church activities are indeed holy, but God also has a purpose for everything created under the sun (as St. Ignatius of Loyola taught: God in all things!) At its worse, religious culture can become ossified. Our "idea" of what a good Catholic looks like can be too restrictive. The answer is not about fitting yourself into an exterior mold.
On the other hand, the world would tell you to walk away from religion altogether. It would tell you that God's laws and "no" are never helpful. This also goes too far. The teachings of the church reveal the truth about ourselves to us. Sometimes, we do need to conform ourselves to something objectively true outside of us. As born sinners, we know that some of our instincts and desires are not good for us.
In typical Catholic fashion, the answer appears to be "both," not "either/or." There is a time and place for changing ourselves, not simply doing what we want, and allowing God to discipline us. There is a time and place for traditional religious activities and instruction. However, with wisdom, we can come to know the areas of our lives where God would like to uniquely shape us through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the other good things He has placed in our lives.
In my own case, I have sometimes turned the quest for the Kingdom of Heaven into a prideful attempt at getting the biggest heavenly mansion. I can feel it in my heart that I'm not living from a place of love of God and neighbor, but of wanting to be "right" and "better" and "ahead" in the spiritual journey of life.
In my own case, I sometimes need to back off from thinking about Heavenly rewards and refocus instead on participating in what God is up to. The Kingdom of Heaven has been compared to a wedding feast. What are the qualities of a good wedding guest?
A wedding guest follows instructions: they get to the church on time, so to speak. They show generosity to the bride and groom by giving gifts of time and money. They are festive and joyful in their demeanor. They get on the dance floor.
In our lives, do we participate fully in what God is doing? Yes, there are instructions to be followed. But when we open our hearts to God, we radiate joy. We become people that others would like to invite to the party.
A good wedding guest helps the bride and groom and everyone else at the party have a great time. They are not the center of the event. They let the bride shine and be the one wearing white. They know how to bring themselves to the party and not be a wallflower; they also know how to bring out the best in the group.
In our quest for holiness, in a similar, way, it's not about being the greatest saint in the sense of out performing others. It's about sharing in the journey of life with others in the way we have been called to. God is always up to something interesting. Are we living in a way that is connected and engaged? Are we thankful for our day to day lives? Do we enjoy the day the Lord has made for us?
Maybe our role in the Kingdom of Heaven is right where we are; maybe it has landed right in our laps. God is just waiting for us to enjoy and appreciate the gift of life we have been given and admire how He is putting all the pieces together for us.
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