Do People Really Want to Grow Closer to Jesus?
I spoke about the choices we make in the article I posted Sunday, “To Whom Shall We Grow? – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.”
Following on that article, today I begin with another question, “Do people really want to grow closer to Jesus?” Do you really want to grow closer to Jesus? Do you want to grow in your faith or would you rather not make the effort or sacrifices needed to grow? If you already come to church regularly, are you open to more or do you think an hour on Sunday is enough?
I am afraid that there are a significant number of people who, in the way they live their lives, say one hour a week is enough. The hour on Sunday spent at Mass is very important. However, have we let that hour transform us as disciples if our faith is not part of the way we live our lives the other 167 hours in the week. We need to pray without ceasing (1 Corinthians 5:17, I discuss what it means to “pray without ceasing” in Part I of my video series, Giving Our Hearts to Jesus, What It Means to Pray).
What about the people who don’t come to church regularly? Are they open to change? Maybe they only attend Mass once in a while but I think that once in a while shows that they want something more than they experience in their lives right now. If they didn’t, why would they attend Mass at all? I think they are looking for more. For them, perhaps the question is “are they ready to change.”
Being a disciple requires us to seek to grow in our faith. There can be profound moments of grace where we make large steps in our faith. At other times, we grow very slowly. To be a disciple of Jesus is to lead our entire lives as a journey of ongoing conversion to Jesus as the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).
As we think about the journey, people may want to ask, “what does our Christian faith have to offer.” The answer to this question is both simple and profound, eternal salvation. If we truly seek eternal salvation, our seeking should shape the choices we make.
What are you looking for? Do you find what you seek in worldly things? Or do worldly things leave you feeling like something is still missing? Worldly things cannot completely fulfill us as we are created for much more. We are created to be loved by God and to spend eternity with him. What God has given us in creation is good but He offers us much more.
It is hard for me to understand how people can be content with worldly things. The money I have is good but it does nothing to fulfill me. I have a nice rectory to call home but this home does not define my identity. I am not willingly to give my life for money or a nice home. I am willing to give my life for my faith. I am willing to make sacrifices to grow closer to Jesus. Are you?
In presidential election years, sometimes the candidates tell us that we should ask ourselves if we are better off than four years ago. It’s a valid question but I fear that for some, their answer is routed in radical individualism. This is not what our faith calls us to. As Kenneth Craycraft writes in his new book Citizens Yet Strangers: Living Authentically Catholic in a Divided America (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor. 2024), our Catholic faith calls us to solidarity. Is our whole nation or even the whole world better off?
Are you willing to make sacrifices so that God’s Will be done? Jesus sacrificed his life for us. If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we need to be willing to make sacrifices.
What keeps people from taking a step forward in faith? When people are asked to volunteer, what is often the answer? I’m too busy.
In many cases the answer, “I’m too busy,” is true. People are too busy. Then the question needs to become “why are you too busy.”
What are you busy with? Are the activities that you are busy with important? Should you spend as much time as you do on them? If you are too busy, why did you say yes to the activities you are involved in?
Sometimes we don’t realize what are getting ourselves into when we agree to something. Sometimes our busyness seems out of control. We don’t always get to control how busy we are at work. There, society needs to evaluate what a proper level of work is. Hourly employees are limited to forty hours a week unless they are paid overtime. However, some salaried workers are expected to work longer hours on a regular basis.
At times the busyness for parents (and sometimes for grandparents) comes from the number of sports and other extracurricular activities their children/grandchildren are involved in. They want to be at every event for the children. That desire to be present is a good thing, actually it can be a very good thing. However, the question then becomes how many activities should they be involved in. I hear that sometimes students are now expected to be involved in several extracurricular activities each year. Why? Some will say it looks good on a resume or a college application. I would say that some extracurricular activities are good. However, if we do them only to be able to put it on a resume or college application, we have missed the mark.
When we are too busy, we need to ask ourselves if the things that make us “too busy” are that important. Are they more important to you than your eternal salvation?
Now, we can’t always change what makes us too busy overnight. We need to honor our commitments. It may take time but are you willing to make more time for Jesus?
Jesus made time to come down from Heaven to teach us his Truth. Jesus made time to die for your sins.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff