Where Are We Going?
3rd Sunday of Easter
“I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”Ps. 30
This is the fundamental question of our life in this world, and many people neither know it nor want to know it. They close themselves off from believing that we are headed somewhere, that this life has a purpose and a goal worth pursuing, and so they wander aimlessly, with no reason to live.
The main topic that should be taught from an early age is where we are going, what happens after death-which can come at any age-what the purpose of life on this earth is. Only then can we truly fulfill it.
How can we walk correctly toward our destination if we don’t even know where it is, or whether we’re supposed to be walking toward somewhere at all? This is the sad reality of modern man, who has ignored what God Himself came to reveal to us-the path that leads to the Father, to the paradise our soul longs for.
If we understand what this life is about, we can walk the right path, and maybe we’ll do our best to reach our eternal destination. If someone knows the objective of a game and the rules of the game, it’s possible they might win it. But if they don’t know the rules, or what the game is even about, they won’t be able to play-they’ll just be getting in the way or committing serious fouls, like someone entering a soccer field without the faintest idea of what it’s about.
That’s how many people are in this world —with no idea why they’re here or what for. They don’t even know the basic rules of life, so they constantly break them. Many end up in jail because they don’t even know how to live with others. Others take their own lives because they don’t understand anything about what they’re supposed to do on this earth, nor do they believe there’s any purpose or meaning to life. What a contrast with Jesus, who gave His life to give us Life, and with the apostles, who were persecuted like Christ and yet were happy to suffer for Him-even to the point of giving their lives, just as He did -like thousands of saints throughout the centuries.
From a young age, more important than teaching the things of this world, the first and most essential thing would be to teach about God-our origin and our destiny, our Creator and Father, our final destination, our entrance into eternal life, our reason for being in this world. What good is it to teach children how to use gadgets and entertainment, to study history, math, and things most kids don’t even care about, if we don’t first tell them the fundamentals they need to know-the answers to life’s unavoidable questions: Where do I come from? Why am I here? What is the meaning and purpose of my life in this world? Where are we going? What happens after death?
This was the cry of a group of young representatives before the UN: “You’ve taught us many things, you’ve given us careers, studies, wealth, progress, technology, etc., but you haven’t taught us the ‘why’ of it all-why we should even want to know all this.” Many still live without purpose, searching for meaning in everything they see in the world-and still not finding it, because it’s not in this world, but in what comes next.
When we know that we are citizens of heaven, that we are just passing through here, we enter the path of life in order to reach our final destination -to set our hearts on the treasures of heaven, and not those of the earth.
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41/Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13 (2a)/Rv 5:11-14/Jn 21:1-19 or 21:1-14
Monday: Acts 6:8-15/Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30/Jn 6:22-29
Tuesday: Acts 7:51-8:1a/Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab Jn 6:30-35
Wednesday: Acts 8:1b-8/Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a/Jn 6:35-40
Thursday: Acts 8:26-40/Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20/Jn 6:44-51
Friday: Acts 9:1-20/Ps 117:1bc, 2/Jn 6:52-59
Saturday: Acts 9:31-42/Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17/Jn 6:60-69
Next Sunday: Acts 13:14, 43-52/Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5 (3c)/Rv 7:9, 14b-17/Jn 10:27-30
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 3rd Sunday of Easter
Monday: Cinco de Mayo
Saturday: St. John of Avila, Priest and Doctor of the Church; St. Damien de Veuster, Priest
Next Sunday: 4th Sunday of Easter; World Day of Prayer for Vocations; Mother’s Day
