Getting Back on the path to God

Dear Father,

I think you website is very nice. I'll be back often to read some of your writings.I finally woke up to find out that I have been living without God for so long.When I was younger I used to go to mass and enjoyed receiving God in my life and I want and need to teach this to my family. If you could give me some ideas or help in how I should approach it, please feel free to tell me. I know that I need to get on back on my path to the Lord and soon.

Dear Friend,

Thank you for your letter. It inspires me to move on and continue this ministry of proclaiming the Good news through the internet. I hope it can help other families and individuals also.

To answer your request, I believe that there are lots of spiritual readings available and written by very credible people such as blessed Mother Teresa and even the late Pope John Paul II. I am glad that our bookstores are filled with materials to inspire us in our journey toward the good life and to God.

However, may you also find this helpful – that to realize that we’ve been without God for so long is already grace indeed and it already solves more than a half of the problem. To yearn for the Lord and to live in Him is the first step in the journey. The rest follows – the desire for personal growth and to involve others especially family members.

I would ask you to really be resolved once and for all to take this path in contrast with the other one, a life which may be filled with comforts and material things but nevertheless meaningless. Our life just can’t be summarized between living a life of sin and grace; it has to be the decision to something good and something even better. Then the exciting journey toward real life begins.

Being equipped for the journey is the second step. Like in the film “The Lord of the Rings” the Hobbits equipped themselves with that bread that could last throughout their perilous journey, so too realize that it is ONLY the Holy Eucharist that is sustaining us in the life. For the bread of life is the Lord Himself whom we commit to journey with in our entire life. But how can we love somebody whom we do not know? That’s why to compliment the Eucharist, we also have to enrich ourselves with knowledge of His word, empowered by His sacraments, and live out by His grace.

Third, we need to discern God’s presence in our daily lives. Discernment is a gift; it is a desire to please Him, love Him and serve Him. It is to see Him in the events of daily life. Discernment always ends in action born out of a wise decision to follow His most holy will.

Finally, share Him to others. Don’t be ashamed to talk about God to your friends, to you wife and children. Serve Him, especially in the poor and always tell them that you see God in them. Join your local church as well and make a portion of your time, talent, and treasure available for God’s work.

How long do these things take? The whole our lifetime. But it’s worth the effort. Don’t worry. You are not alone in these. Many Christians, including yours truly, are struggling to know, love, and serve the Lord. In due time, we will see him, and our happiness will be complete.

Fr. Lito

photo courtesy of: picturesofjesus4u.com