"One" Thing

Our world is full of distractions.  We are bombarded with noise; both in what we hear and see.  For many of us there seems to be no escape.  In the middle of our daily lives we sense something is missing.  We feel incomplete and we try to satisfy it in ways that prove unsuccessful, and often make it worse.  It is quite often in our lowest moment when our minds and our hearts are in their greatest conflict, the "One Thing" makes itself known with a gentle movement in in the depths of our being.  This increases the restlessness we are already experiencing as we realize the possibility of not only what it is, but Who it is.  We may try to dismiss it as an overly active imagination, a coincidence, or we are now in need of professional help.  In reality, The One is offering us an opportunity to bring about the greater good in our lives.  The reason were born and the talents we were given.  Sounds like a fairy tale, but rest assured it is not.  Like all good things it will take time and require an honest effort on our part.  But it is worth it as our lives will be changed forever.

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There is no secret to Who the One is.  It is God, creator of the heavens and the earth; all things visible and invisible.  God has created every person who has ever lived.  God did not need to do this, yet He did.  God has created each of us out of love and for a specific purpose.  God knows each of us and everything about us; and wants us to know Him as well.  God wants to be in a mutual loving relationship with each of us.  The relationship is greatly based on communications, which is formally called prayer.  It looks no different from how we get together with a true friend and enter into a serious conversation where we trustingly share intimate aspects of our lives knowing the other will not betray us out of love and respect.  Our best conversations are private and often in peace filled locations.  Our emotions can range from laughter to tears, joy to sorrow, and even frustration and anger.  We don't feel the need to hold back because we feel safe.  The same is true with God.

Many people will argue with that.  Some will say there is no God.  That there is no actual proof God exists, although they can't provide any proof God doesn't exist.  Others will say that God allows bad things to happen.  But does He really?  Was God driving the car that hit and killed the pedestrian?  Did God shoot the gun that killed the other person?  Ah, but God lets His children get cancer, suffer physical pain and emotional stress, and possibly die a horrible death.  Every person dies and we don't know the exact moment or circumstances.  God did not even create death; we were suppose to live forever.  Our death is a result of "original sin."  We'll get more in to pain and suffering later. 

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Now for a leap of faith.  God's children could not correct the consequence of original sin.  And God so loved His children He sent His only Son, Jesus.  Jesus was born of a woman and experienced life as a human.  At 30 years of age Jesus began a 3-year ministry teaching and healing the people He encountered.  Jesus then allowed Himself to be killed and in that act of love, death and sin were destroyed.  With the debt paid we can live eternally with God.  Jesus also gave us the gift of the "Holy Spirit" Who is the Love between God the Father and God the Son.  So yes, the One, God, is three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and He is outside of time and space. 

This is going to get a little complicated, but there is no way around it.   We cannot know everything about God; at least not in this life time.  So God is greatly a mystery which is why "Faith" is necessary.   And faith is believing in things that one cannot see.  Faith is a gift from God which we can choose to except, use, and develop; or deny. 

God's love for us is so great He also gave us what is called "free will."  Free will does not mean we can do what we want when we want.  It means we live God's will, which is to live life in the way that allows God to love us so we can love others in the exact same way.  See the problem?

Looking at the state of our world we can honestly say there is not a lot of love.  We see wars, conflicts, crime; a total lack of respect for neighbors, and very little truth.  Not to say there isn't good in the world, but it is greatly overshadowed by the bad.  And bad news sells.  The results of sociological and psychological research over the centuries fills volumes of papers and books.  The short story is mankind is prideful and greedy.  We place ourselves before all others including God.  We are disordered because we don't put God first in our lives and allow Him to bring the order that only He can.  So the next logical question is; "What is the source of this disorder?"

There are actually two sources of disorder.  Mankind brings about a degree of disorder because of his fallen state from original sin.  The second source is the evil one, the devil.  Many people don't believe in his existence either.  The devil is only a Halloween or horror movie character.  But Jesus Himself warns us to be careful as the devil comes like a thief in the night, stealing and destroying.  The devil steals and destroys human souls out of revenge against God.  Jesus gave us His Church where His followers become the body and He is the Head.  Becoming a "Christian" is not a club, social group, or cult.  It is our individual realization we our children of God the Father and in this given identity we have gifts and a purpose.

We have a purpose.  First, we have to understand everything God does is planned for a greater purpose.  Our births are not accidental but were seen by Him before the creation of time.  Then there are the specific and unique talents or skills (gifts) which we were born with and we can develop.  God is always present and guiding us; but the choice is ours whether we cooperate with Him.  All of us our called to a vocation and a profession.  We can be single, married, or religious.  Most people are called to be married with families.  Professions vary.  In the combination of vocation and profession we serve God and neighbor; and glorify God. 

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How does one glorify God?  A squirrel or a bird glorify God by simply being a squirrel or a bird.  With humans it is a little more complicated.  First, we are charitable (loving) of our neighbors by being honest with them in our interactions, forgiving, and accepting without judgement of any expectation of anything in return; and foremost we give God the credit.

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Another gift from God - freedom.  Sadly, we listen to people who talk about how free they are to do what they want and when they want and see how miserable they are.  Quite often that type of freedom leads to addictions, materialism, and self destructive behaviors.  God's freedom brings an interior peace capable of resisting all of the external chaos going on around us.        

Stay tuned as the site is under a major revision.  Be patient and try to find a space and some time to embrace silence where you and The One can develop a real and intimate relationship.