Destiny Moments
Through God, every moment of our lives has the possibility of being a destiny moment.

We all have hopes and dreams. We are all looking for fulfillment in our lives, but often feel anxiety because we don't know what that really looks like. The Catholic Church teaches that frequently, our anxiety and emptiness is only an indication that God is calling us to a deeper relationship with Him.

When we get into our late 20's we get the first realizations that we might not have the kind of lives that we thought we would. We might not have the career we wanted, we might not have the kind of happiness in marriage we thought we would, and we might not have as much money as we thought (did anybody out there think they would be a millionaire by the time they were 30)? It gets even worse if we get into our 30's and 40's and we find ourselves still waiting on our "destiny moments."

There are all kinds of people out there in there 30's and 40's who are going through depression and all kinds of mid-life crisis. There is a feeling out there that there are these destiny moments in life where everything becomes clearly defined in whatever area you are lacking. You were supposed to find that perfect person to marry. You were supposed to find that perfect fulfilling career. It is just all suppose to be there, to "happen" for us somehow. Having this philosophy creates a lot of anxiety, stress, depression, and even hopelessness about the future as people reach their 30's and 40's and don't have the kind of fulfillment in job, marriage, or wealth they wanted.

Another thing I've noticed over the years is that people confuse destiny moments with normal emotional highs, then when the emotion wears off, they are more lost and confused about what they are looking for than before. The process of thinking we've found "IT" and then don't have it at all, constantly attacks our self-esteem. Or what if your destiny moments happened when you were 19, 21, and 23 and you were just too immature to see them at that time? Is it all over for you?

The thing is, I've looked really hard and I can't find anywhere in Catholic teaching where "destiny moments" are the way we are supposed to be fulfilled in God's Love. In fact, what the Church teaches is just the opposite. The Catholic Church teaches that the process of transformation is not about a few moments in time, but a lifelong process of growth in the Truth. Also, God's Love (the kind of Love that transforms us) is available to us all the time. God never turns His back on us. Only a very few Saints were truly pure of heart and got everything right the first time. For the rest of us life is a pretty tough struggle as we deal with our problems, pain, self-deceptions, and false motivations. God realizes this and is all about leading us to the Truth and giving us more chances.

Mary put it wonderfully in her promise to St. Dominic, "The Rosary shall make virtue and good works flourish, and shall obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies; it shall substitute in hearts Love of God for Love of the world, elevate them to desire heavenly and eternal goods." Being set free is about no longer wanting the wrong things in life and by saying, "Yes" to God's Truth.

I think Jesus even goes farther in his story about the seed sower:
"One day a farmer went out sowing. Part of what he sowed landed on a footpath, where birds came and ate it up. Part of it fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprouted at once since the soil had no depth, but when the sun rose and scorched it, it began to wither for lack of roots. Again, part of the seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked it. Part of it finally, landed on good soil and yielded grain at a hundred- or sixty- or thirty-fold."
Matthew 13, 3-8

Jesus is the sower, the Word of God and God's Will is the seed, and our hearts are the ground upon which it lands. Jesus is telling us that GREAT THINGS are possible for anyone, no matter how old you are or where you are in you spiritual journey ("Part of it finally, landed on good soil and yielded grain at a hundred- or sixty- or thirty-fold.")

Jesus is giving us the answer of how we can correctly identify God's Will for us. We can prepare our hearts with the Sacraments, the Rosary, Mass, Novenas, educating ourselves through Papal encyclicals, discussion groups, Catholic retreats, and a whole variety of other things the Church provides to develop unity with God. By saying "Yes" to God and growing a little more in the Truth each day.

When you really Love someone you want to be there for them all the time. That is the way that God Loves each and every one of us and He is letting us know that this kind of Love is available to us all the time. It isn't just available for a few "destiny moments" that if we don't recognize them, we miss out on God's Love. That just isn't the way God's Love works.

There is a prayer chapel at my Parish that is never closed. Although we can pray anywhere, that Prayer Chapel is a very important symbol of how God is waiting there for our prayers anytime we need that kind of Love in our lives. That Prayer Chapel is a physical manifestation that reminds us that God's complete Love is available to us
24/7/365 + 1
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, plus 1 extra day if it's leap year!

Through God, every moment of our lives has the possibility of being a destiny moment.