Who is at the Center of Your Life?



When I made the choice of inviting God into my life back in 1984, it was just the beginning of a process that is ongoing. "Behold I stand at the door and knock" Rev. 3:20 Jesus knocks at the door of every heart! The question is how wide have you opened the door? In all my years working with teens and adults, I have met many good people. There is a difference between a good person and a person who has put Jesus at the center. When you put Jesus at the center, he will impact every aspect of your life. If you think of your life as a big circle, who/what is in your circle. Many young people don't have Jesus even in their circle. Most Catholics have Jesus in their circle, but few have Jesus at the center. Most people have SELF at the center. Where is Jesus in your circle?

When we have Jesus at the center, he impacts everything! You start to take responsibility for yourself and for the good of others. For college students it means going to class, doing your school work, eating right, getting enough sleep, spending time with God in prayer, going to Mass weekly if not more, and finding friends that will support your faith. It means taking responsibility for the good of others including your family, friends, co workers, classmates, teammates, the poor, and total strangers. If you are dating, it means doing what is best for their good and not using them for your own pleasure. It means not taking part in the college party scene. It means finding fun healthy activities, and if you cant find any, creating your own. There is nothing wrong with a good college prank!

When we have Jesus at the center of our lives, we find time for quiet by turning off our electronic devices and spending time with God. Spending time reading scripture. If you don't know God's word, you don't know God. Quieting yourself and realize that you are in God's presence.

When we have God at the center of our lives, we live in the present moment. We are not wishing to be somewhere else or with someone else. God gives us only so much time. He places us in all kinds of situations or with specific people. We need to be present to the moment at hand. We are to be present to the person in front of us and not texting someone else. Take a lot less pictures and soak in the moment. The Pope made a comment about it. He said that people are more interested in taking a selfie with the Pope than in actually greeting him and shaking his hand. They are most interested in the memory than the moment at hand. We can find God only in the moment that we are in right now whether that is a class, a job, a date, an outing with a friend or time with family. Today, right now is a gift. Tomorrow is not promised to you. Having a fatal illness sharpens the focus. One day, I was fine. The next day, something is terribly wrong with me. The fact is we all have a fatal illness. We are all going to die some day. We should start each day thanking God for the gift and offer up our day.

Nothing is wasted with God. Every experience that I had in my life was used by God to prepare me for the future. To make extra money while in college, I mopped floors and cleaned up the cafeteria after dinner. You can imagine the mess that was left each night especially after a food fight. How did God use it? I spent several decades mopping floors and cleaning up after teens. I worked as a newscaster on the radio in college. I was in sales for five years. How did God use it? I have spent much time over the last two decades in front of a microphone selling the Gospel. I have been in front of hundreds of people speaking and not feeling at all nervous. With God nothing is wasted.

When God is at the center of our lives, we take responsibility for ourselves and for others. St. Peter wrote:  "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." Every day you are in a spiritual battle for your soul. You have responsibilities to handle. God has placed you where you are for his purposes whether a school or a job or family or specific relationships. You have a responsibility to follow through with whatever demands are placed on you. For a student, study diligently to the best of your ability. On your job, a full days work for a full days pay. Work hard and do your job. Serve your family. Your number one goal in all your relationships is to help that person get to heaven. You should keep in mind that they are in a spiritual battle too.  We are our brothers keeper. What can you do to serve them? Whether that is your date, friends, family, coworker, teammates or stranger. Be present to people. Help them in their spiritual battle. What is the Devil's number goal? a passive Catholic or worse a fallen away Catholic. So, get up on Sunday and go to Mass. Invite family and friends to go with you. Never stop inviting. Never stop! 
St Paul wrote:
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

We are in a spiritual battle and the going can get rough. We will have trials and suffering, but we cant give up. With Jesus at the center of our lives, we run the race to the end. We help others through their trials and suffering so that they can win the race, too. Our suffering could be an approaching deadline or hard exam. We could be feeling poorly. We could be struggling with a relationship. Let nothing go to waste. Offer up every thing to the Lord. Help others do the same. The devil will want us to give up, but we cant. Jesus will prepare us. Let no trial or suffering go to waste for he is always preparing us for the future by increasing our endurance and our faith. We can never lose hope, but strive for the finish line. Whether that is graduation or finishing a project or paper or heaven. The church helps with our training with periods of spiritual training like Advent and Lent. Don't waste it. Do something hard. Real suffering! It is training for when the real suffering comes your way. St Jose Maria Escriva wrote:"The heroic minute. It is the time fixed for getting up. Without hesitation: a supernatural reflection and... up! The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body." Which means no snooze button. It means the night before you decide when you are waking up the next day. Set your alarm. When it goes off, you get up. It is a mortification that will strengthen your will to resist the devil. Spiritual training for the long race ahead of you. 

 You are a child of God! Live like it! Don't lie. Don't cheat. Don't steal. Don't swear. Pray. Go to Mass.  Serve others. Don't use others. Follow the law. Be an active citizen. Be kind. When we have Jesus at the center of our lives , we love God and love others. Basically, J.O.Y. Jesus Others You. If you want joy in your life, you put Jesus at the center and serve others.
 

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