Gabriela Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Pick a path that that leads to salvation and is something that you want to do, and follow it until God shows you otherwise. Well, this is what I think I'm doing. But how do I know what leads to salvation? Geez, I don't even know for sure what I want to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaatee Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Well, this is what I think I'm doing. But how do I know what leads to salvation? Geez, I don't even know for sure what I want to do! Gabriela, if it's any consolation, many of young people your age don't know either. You are from that generation (I think) which is taking time to focus, discover who they are and what they want to be. Both my daughters, who I think are somewhat older than you, have had the same problem. Their solution was to stay in school indefinitely until they found out. I don't necessarily recommend this; working at various jobs might accomplish the same thing much more cheaply. Regarding religious life, the best solution I think is to explore it, discern with a VD if your serious, or else simply visit different communities until you know. I think that in something like this, you'll know fairly soon if it's for you. One thing about the present generation is that they recognize their true feelings about things much more immediately than previous generations extending as far back as mine! Don't use "thirty" as some sort of deadline. It may be so for the choosiest of religious communities, but it is not realistic. People who marry after thirty (as I did) have a far greater likelihood of having their marriages last. The thirties are not a deadline, they are a decade for maturing (at last!), focusing, finding either your life's partner or your life's work, or both. All of this begins in your thirties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatitude Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 (edited) Well, this is what I think I'm doing. But how do I know what leads to salvation? Geez, I don't even know for sure what I want to do! Your tagline says 'Society for the Canonization of Thomas Merton', so I presume you know this prayer. Bl. John Henry Newman also wrote something beautiful and relevant:"God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about." Edited July 12, 2015 by beatitude To throw in Cardinal Newman as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 (edited) It might help to consider that though its nice to fit into a "canonical box", our duty is doing God's Will. What is His Will now? To fulfill your duties well where you are, and to put His Will first in your intent. That is how I'd define a path that leads to salvation. Where you are now is where God wants you now then you just do everything we were taught - prayer, Sacraments, cooperation with grace... Some people follow a Rule as lay people with guidance of their SD. I don't mean a religious Rule but a daily schedule and guidelines for where you are I struggle with this too cause I'm almost 30, and have a lot of student loans, so I already wouldn't be able to enter some communities that cut off at 30... And I'd only be able to enter others if by some miracle I can pay off the loans by 35. Its not easy because I don't make much and I have a lot of loans. I'd have to do something in addition to my job. And basically all the communities I've been looking at accept up to 35. So all I can do is try my best and trust God. Right now I don't fit into any box. I also do a job that I'm not particularly great in and my life is far from being figured out. That's an amesome prayer by Bl John Henry Newman! I'd also really recommend the book Abandonment to Divine Providence from TAN - the bigger one with the letters. Right where we are is where God placed us now. So we need to serve Him there holiness is not - being able to fit in a niche, or really anything except doing His Will with much love. If you intend to do His Will and do your present duties, then I believe you are doing enough now. We can't do His future Will until the future! Edited July 12, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 (edited) I know doing God's Will where we are might sound very prosaic... A part of this is surrendering to His Will in that too. For example a woman might dream of being a contemplative Carmelite one day. But currently she's stuck in some little job that she doesn't enjoy, or is even very good at, her life seems to be going nowhere and her ideas of being a nun would be opposed by those around her... Or maybe she is ill... So she might keep looking for God's Will for until she enters - half expecting in her heart that it would be more fulfilling. Like being a missionary or living some contemplative life in the world or doing a valuable ministry. Maybe God would lead her there. But maybe He wants her in that little job. Maybe He is allowing her to be sick and that's it. This is where abandonment comes in that your current situation with all its own trials (uncertainty, illness, obstacles, and again uncertainty) - is actually His Will! Sometimes a person can almost expect something glamorous. Or at least beautiful and "neat". But we need all those particular trials to be there. Those exact trials that are now. It might look and feel "messy" and we expect God's Will to be something else... Yes there are times we recognise His Will by how everything works out. But that's when we find a path usually. The "messy" seeking is also His Will. Even with all the stuff that is inconvenient. Jesus told one of the mystics... (In book Words of Love), that with ruins He can build magnificently. it is not the easiness of the task that defines His Will. Sometimes its easy other times there are crosses. Redemption of the world was achieved on the Cross. If God can save us through suffering then He can use it for anything if we unite it to His. We just have to accept the particular suffering of today ...including the possible "smallness" of the suffering... So if all that matters is His Will, and where we are is His Will, all we need to do is do those duties with love. If you need to make some decision or a change and don't know what, put His Will first in your intent, try what you can and see what works out. I don't think it was meant to be complex just abandonment! Its like a little child being carried by his father. Does he care where he is going or how? he only sees his father. Edited July 12, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 This has been very moving to read - http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I wrote this very simple poem describing what I'm trying to say. I realized this is something I've been struggling with this month as I'm going through some dark time. Abandonment On a long journey, A father carried his child. The small child dreamed – A vale of flowers, Brilliant sunshine, A bright blue ocean. But the skies were grey, Rain fell, The wind beat against his face. The child looked at the dark sky, The cliffs, the sharp rocks, And was afraid. “Where am I going? And how?” Then he looked at his father, And saw that he was still carried, And he did not look away. https://maryslittleflower.wordpress.com/2015/07/12/abandonment/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigold Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Well, this is what I think I'm doing. But how do I know what leads to salvation? Geez, I don't even know for sure what I want to do! 'Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?' 'Why do you ask me about what is good?' Jesus replied. 'There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.' 'Which ones?' he inquired. Jesus replied, 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honour your father and mother, and love your neighbour as yourself.' 'All these I have kept,' the young man said. 'What do I still lack?' Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 We claim ownership and rights over more than the material. All is gift, all is Grace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now