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Finding Our Purpose: Self-Discovery Through Christ

Finding Our Purpose: Self-Discovery Through Christ

Last updated on: January 12, 2025 at 3:18 am by Henry Karlson

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Finding Our Purpose: Self-Discovery Through Christ 2025-01-12T03:18:17-05:00 Henry Karlson

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Lawrence OP: Stained Glass Window In The Dominican Church Ff San Lorenzo Ruiz In Navotas (Metro Manila)/ flickr

We must not neglect our own good, which means, we must take reasonable care of ourselves. To do this properly, we must always examine the situation we find ourselves in and use our prudence to act accordingly. The better we know ourselves, the better we know who we are, and what we can and should be doing in the world, the easier this will be. This is not to say, when we know ourselves properly, there will be no challenges left for us to undertake. Rather, we will be able to engage them head on, dealing with them the best we can. Life is always going to be filled with challenges. Sometimes, we should take them head on, but other times, we need to wait for the right time to act lest we lose our head. There will even be times when we know we cannot do anything, and, if we are threatened, the only thing we can do is retreat. Jesus, and his life, provides us the best example for us to follow: he knew himself, he knew his mission in the world, and he knew, until the time was right, he was going to have to be careful and flee from trouble. But he knew he would know it was the time to act based upon the sign of the times such as when we read Jesus began preaching in Galilee after John the Baptist was imprisoned:

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:12-17 RSV).

At this point in time, Jesus connected himself to the work of John by continuing to proclaim what John had preached before he was imprisoned, that is, the need for everyone to repent so that they could prepare themselves for the kingdom of God. While it might seem that this could cause him trouble, Jesus knew it was not the time to be silent, but rather, it was the time to speak up and make sure that what John had started would be brought to its proper conclusion. Jesus would, of course, do far more than repeat what John had said: he was going to do that which John could not do, that is, he was going to heal people, indeed, he was going to heal the world with his grace. Matthew, looking back, could see that Jesus went to the “Galilee of the Gentiles,” demonstrating, moreover, that Jesus took John’s message further than John did, as he began to work with and incorporate the Gentiles into his ministry (even if Jesus made it clear his focus was going to be with the people of Israel).

Jesus, therefore, knew himself. He had been baptized, and, at his baptism, began sharing grace to the world. After his baptism, he went on a retreat, during which he waited for the sign it was time to go public and preach, the sign which he received when he heard John was arrested. John, to be sure, had pointed him out and his greater ministry at his baptism, and from that time, there were some who went from John over to Jesus, and more of them would go over to Jesus once John’s time had come to an end.

It is imperative, like Jesus, we come to know ourselves, though of course, the difference is that we can and will come to know ourselves best in and through our relationship with and inclusion into Christ. We should discern how, through our inclusion into Christ, God’s grace affects us, what gifts it has given to us, and how we are best to use it:

But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph. 4:7-13 RSV).

The enlightening grace which we receive should not be hoarded up and used only for our own benefit. As it is something which we receive by our incorporation into Christ, we are to take that grace and use it to follow the way of Christ, living out the way which he set up. As Christ shares grace with all, so we shall take the grace we receive and use it to build each other up, and in doing so, find ourselves becoming more and more like Christ. We are to know who we are, and when it is best to act and when it is best to retreat, when it is best to preach and when it is best to be silent. We might, like Jesus after his baptism, need time to prepare ourselves for what is to come, even as we might, like Jesus, need to realize the sign of the time and act when we see it is time to act. But, it is always important, when we act, or do not act, we must do so with wisdom, wisdom which looks not only to ourselves and our own benefit, but to the world at large, so that we can work for and promote the good of all.

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N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

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