My Path
From Evansville
“If I knew then what I know now I would have saved myself a lot of trouble”. This familiar lament applies to me. But in reality I had the pieces ‘back then’ but didn’t put them together and apply them to the way I lived my life. I spent time in the wilderness after having turned my back on my faith and the church. That action was less deliberate than just plain sliding down the slippery slope.
At the end of my slide I realized that my way hadn’t worked and I found myself back in the pews of The Church every Sunday. I started by coming and listening to the gospel readings and sermons. I wasn’t able to participate in the sacraments until I completely cleaned up my side of the street. In my case I needed to apply for and obtain an annulment from my first marriage. The annulment process was one I wasn’t looking forward to going through but one that needed to be completed.
I’ve heard it said that hell is separation from God. I understand that definition because I lived it every Sunday after my return. I listened intently to the readings and sermons. I soaked up as much of the “Good News” as I could but still that wasn’t enough. In order to complete the journey back I had to complete the annulment process. I completed that milestone. But soon after my return to the sacraments I realized my journey was not yet complete.
I was better informed about how my journey should continue after reading Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger’s Address to Catechists and Religion Teachers Jubilee of Catechists on 12 December 2000. (Found on this website) His answer to how can we evangelize is by “Teaching the Art of Living”. His address provides a description of the Art of Living that is found in the “Good News”, rooted in the Church and expressed daily in Liturgy, the Eucharistic feast and administration of the sacraments. He goes on to say that Jesus wants us to be happy on earth and work to follow his path to heaven where we can join him in true happiness for eternity.
Reading Cardinal Ratzinger’s address struck a chord in my being and caused me to further ponder the question “What is the Art of Living” and how can I discover a modicum of happiness on earth. I began by defining happiness for myself. I decided that happiness was an emotion that didn’t best describe the comfort inside my own skin that I was seeking. So rather than look for an emotional plateau I would seek comfort in my own skin. As I began this internal search it occurred to me that the path began with adhering to the “Good News” provided in the gospels. Those writings provide Jesus description of the path. It starts with Loving God with all my heart and all my soul and extends to loving my neighbor as myself. Simply put it provided a definite path towards happiness.
Today my path relies on maintaining a spiritually honest conscience. When reinforcing the health of my conscience I begin by reviewing the Ten Commandments, the precepts of the church and my adherence to those principles. But that alone is not enough for me to achieve the comfort I seek. I have to get out of my way and out of myself by living those principles in everyday situations. Those situations include being of service to others whenever possible. When I achieve that sweet spot of living I become more comfortable in my own skin.
