The Good Life

A good life is full of people, situations, places, words, and actions that bring you closer to God. To think more deeply, the point of life is to be a follower of Christ and to spread His Word. When we surround ourselves with events that help us reach this mission, we live a good life. First of all, to have a truly spiritual and holy life, you should be active in your parish and following the rules of the Church. Have a good relationship with your priests, like the students had with Father Matt. I have a pretty good relationship with my pastor, but not as close as the students at that university. It is easy to see Christ in holy people, like the Pope, priests, and saints. That is why I put so many pictures of priests and other holy people. It is often felt that people of this holiness level are not “real people.” I let myself slip into this notion too, but this board helped me to realize that they are real people and their level of holiness is achievable. Also, I feel like they are not the same as other people, because they do not wear normal clothes, do not live in normal houses, and do not have normal jobs; however, these priests are normal--they do carpool karaoke, they buy ice cream, and they exercise. This board demonstrated to me that to have a truly holy life, you should surround yourself with people who draw you closer to God. A large majority of my board was full of quotes. Wise words also draw people closer to God. That is why I included these sayings. Most are Bible verses that are hopeful, loving, and remind me of God’s gift for us. To live a good life, we must be reminded of God’s love for us and ensure Him of ours for Him. When we read Scripture, we remind ourselves of the sustaining factor of our being, God’s immense and unconditional love for all of His people. When we read Scripture, we experience what the good life is. Lastly, true happiness and connection with God includes service. To serve man is to serve God simultaneously. Joy comes from the love we share for both God and man, that we directly show through our service. That is why I put pins on there about being kind, teaching my future children service, and maybe even going on a mission trip somewhere. I love the quote from Pope John Paul II that says, “Wherever people are suffering, make it your task to serve them.” I for sure do not have the most service-oriented lifestyle, but it is a life that I would like to dive into so that I can know God more fully. When I do perform service, the feeling is amazing, and it is a feeling that makes me feel close to God. When we are close to God, we are living the good life. In conclusion, keeping solely a secular view of the world - where the goal is to make money, excel at your career, and foster a family - is not enough. When you are a Catholic, you are called to something greater, something more divine than the world around us can offer. As the saying we are all taught before Confirmation is, “We were created to know, love, and serve God.” Through priests, we can better know God in His humanly form commissioned to preach to us. Through Scripture, we can better love God through His words and actions, particularly pertaining to His unconditional love for us. Finally through service to God, we are shown how to act as true disciples and how to love as we are loved. That is precisely why I pinned what I did on my board, because through knowledge, love, and service we come to know God and attain what is the good life.