Today, I was blessed to spend some time with a few really close friends. If you have heard the phrase, "Friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them," then you know the power of true friendship. In one way, these last few days have been going away party for the member of our group who will be studying abroad in Rome of all places. In another way, it has been a similar togetherness that we experienced at the beginning of the fall semester. We support each other in faith, for that is our common bond. About of dozen of us, we represent at least six different colleges, not all in Kansas. We like to dance (swing and two-step are our favorites), chat, and pray whether a rosary, mass, adoration, or simply the grace before meals - and of course, we like to eat. Still, our Catholic faith is the core of our togetherness. Christmas break has provided each of us with opportunity for renewal whether physically, emotionally, socially, and certainly not least, spiritually. I really notice this when I have the chance to talk one-on-one with some of these amazing individuals. We are not afraid to be real with each other. We may go three to four months without seeing each other, but our connectedness does not hinder us from seeking truth and honoring one another.
Saturday morning, I was blessed to spend three hours with one of these close friends. What I really respect about this person was their honesty and concern to help all in our group grow. As we often look to each other for support, we are willing to point it out if someone is being led astray. A particular comment from this person helped me to see how much of a worldly perspective I was taking on some things, especially classes and my education. This was largely a response to one of my (few) blogs posted near the end of a challenging semester. At this point, I must note that blogging has, in a way, helped me to be more human, or in another term, vulnerable. I mentioned in my last blog not really being perfect, even though I sometimes pretend to be. I struggle much like the next person, just perhaps in a different way. Yet, also, because I am most often a peaceable person, you may not know that just from hanging around me from time to time. To let myself come through in my blog may show a side of me that some people have never experienced.
Coming back to my Saturday morning breakfast experience, my friend stated (a) that it was really good to know that I struggle with things, too, and (b) that my perspective is flawed, or that they disagreed. Let me explain point (b) as I think I have already addressed point (a). Society teaches us to pursue comfort, material and monetary items. To many people, money is everything. The education that my friend is getting, rather, teaches that we should seek truth, and in seeking truth we will eventually find happiness. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis states, "When we seek comfort we find nothing, but when we seek truth, it is there that we find comfort." (paraphrased from another friend). Replace the word comfort with anything, except for truth, and you will only find nothing. Instant gratification, maybe - but how long with that last? And at what cost does it come?
We are all called to find truth and apply reason to all that we do. Life is not just about getting good grades so we can get a good job, and maybe impact someone along the way. Life is NOT about selfishness, or what is right for you or right for me. (That's called relativism - we won't go there this time.) My dear friend shed some light upon my perspective, and that in itself has given me some renewal, amongst many other blessings this Christmas break.
I end with this: (NAB) John 8:32 "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." In reflecting on how this verse applies not only to this blog, but to so many areas of my life, I am left in aww and inspired - aww-spiration. God is good.
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