Editorial
The Goal
Rev. Raymond Petrucci
Every stage of life invites us to think about what goals we hope to reach, how we plan to accomplish them, and what importance we place on a particular goal. As a child, one goal was to learn to ride a two-wheel bike. Teenage years presented the challenge of attaining the coveted driver's license. The years that followed bore greater and more important goals: academic degrees, professional certifications, a dream job. Throughout one's adult life, the goals might change or be modified as the maturation process begins to clarify and define what satisfaction in both career and private life signify. Deeply personal decisions regarding spirituality, marriage and family, self-awareness, and personal growth fashion the foundation of how our life will matter.
Serious goals in life tend to be realizations that, at first, slowly reveal themselves. From the," core of our being, something more than wishes or desires, interests or talents emerge. Gradually or like a flash of lightning, a spiritual energy creates in us an awareness of what realities of self-understanding, direction, and environment are needed for contentment and for coloring our feel for life. The task of pursuing a goal requires a plan. Goals perch on the highest branch of the tree and we must climb a myriad of limbs in order to reach it. Every goal of ours comes with a list of necessities to be claimed first. As we make our way, we learn about our strengths and weaknesses of character and how much we want a particular desire. Many adjustments might be called for and re-evaluation of just how important a wish may be and how much time and effort will be demanded of us to attain it. Interestingly, the struggles encountered and overcome in the efforts of reaching a goal often give us more satisfaction than the goal itself. Temptations, however, might arise that offer an immediate grasp of something lesser at the cost of reaching the greater.
"Don't give up what you want most for what you want now."
– Anonymous
If we were asked what would be the ultimate end of life, how would we answer that question? What do we want most? The answer would depend on one's beliefs. Personally, I would reply that having been judged as having lived a life pleasing to God and of being welcomed into the eternal love of God would be my greatest desire. Let us take pause and remember the journey as well as the destination. Day by day we live on this earth and day by day we must be about the business of making choices which reflect our resolve to reach our highest hope. Each bit of wisdom and knowledge we accrue add to our ability to follow the path toward our goal. Reflecting on the words of our friend "Anonymous," what we want most should influence our evaluation of the benefit or the detriment to what is presented to us now.
Considering the spiritual perspective, an informed and fully operating conscience is an absolute factor in decision making. Do not be surprised that conscience and desire often will be at odds with each other. Our sinful nature willingly may want to yield to temptation and reject heavenly guidance. This sounds preachy but it is so true. A prayer for a resolute spirit focused on the goal we seek and the strength to resist what looks so good but is so bad is a wise action on our part. We all hope to feel the joy of a clear conscience, but let it not be the result of a poor memory. Any hope of reaching the goal of the Kingdom of God is founded on a humble plea for God's mercy toward a repentant soul
In keep with the theme of this work, I wish to conclude with some excerpts from a prayer offered by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, "Grant me the gift of piety, so that I may serve You for the future with increased fervor, follow with more promptness Your holy inspirations, and observe your divine precepts with greater fidelity… Grant me the gift of fortitude, so that I may overcome courageously all the assaults of the devil, and all the dangers of this world which threaten the salvation of my soul… Grant me the gift of wisdom, so that I may rightly direct all my actions, referring them to God as my last end, so that, having loved Him and served Him in this life, I may have the happiness of possessing Him eternally." Our souls long for eternal life in the everlasting love of God that is heaven, the goal that matters most. I pray that we may unite our minds and hearts in that pursuit.