When I was attending Seoul Seminary, the head priest told all the seminarians to come out and plant grass because the school playground was going to be turned into a grass field. I was happy. Up until now, the playground was made of dirt, so I slipped and got hurt a lot, but more than anything, I was so happy to think about playing soccer on a grass field that I had only seen on TV. Every evening for several days, after dinner, all the seminarians came out to the playground and planted grass. But there was a problem. After planting, we couldn’t go into the playground for a while to protect the grass.
The most popular sport among seminarians is soccer. But how dissatisfied must they have been when they lost the space to kick the ball? In the end, they were given permission to play soccer, but they did not get the grass field they had dreamed of. However, the seminarians were able to regain their energy.
It is a grass field for seminarians, but it cannot be a seminarian for a grass field. In this world, the roles of the subject and object are often reversed. Students study hard to live well in the future. However, we often see cases where they take their own lives due to academic stress. We often hear politicians say that they will work hard for the people. However, they asked us to vote for them because they would make a clean country, but later they are in the media because of various corruptions. They look to the Lord in the church and have faith, but at some point, they declare that they will not go to church because of someone.
You must be able to see what is important so that you can move forward step by step toward the Lord’s will.
One of the Pharisees invites Jesus to dinner. It is clearly an act of love, because Jesus only goes where there is love. But when he sees a sinful woman pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet, his love disappears. So he says to himself,
‘If that man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner…’
The important thing was not to lose the heart that invited Jesus to dinner. If you lose that heart, your love for Jesus will disappear. However, the woman who poured perfume on Jesus’ feet never lost her love for him. The woman who showed great love for the Lord heard Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven.” And immediately, He said, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Love for the Lord can grow through faith. That faith, that love, leads us to salvation.
Quote of the day: He who plans his daily routine and carries it out, has a thread to guide him through the labyrinth of life, which is extremely busy. But if he does not plan his day and simply uses his time haphazardly, disorder will soon take over his life (Victor Hugo).
(Father Matthew Jo Myeong-yeon)
What does it mean to prioritize what truly matters in faith and purpose?
Table of Contents
The Importance of Prioritizing What Truly Matters: A Reflection on Faith and Purpose
As I look back on my time at Seoul Seminary, I am reminded of a valuable lesson that extends far beyond the confines of a school playground. It is a lesson that speaks to the heart of human nature and our relationship with faith, purpose, and each other. It is a lesson that teaches us to prioritize what truly matters and to hold on to what is essential in our lives.
The Grass Field: A Metaphor for Prioritization
During my seminary days, our head priest asked us to plant grass on the school playground, transforming it from a dirt field to a lush, green oasis. We were thrilled at the prospect of playing soccer on a grass field, a luxury we had only seen on TV. However, our excitement was short-lived, as we soon realized that we couldn’t use the playground for a while to protect the newly planted grass. This temporary sacrifice sparked a profound realization: sometimes, what we think we want is not what we truly need.
In this scenario, the seminarians’ desire for a grass field for soccer was overshadowed by the importance of preserving the very thing they had worked so hard to create. This paradox highlights the inherent danger of reversing the roles of subject and object, where we prioritize the means over the end. We often focus on the secondary aspects of our lives, losing sight of what truly matters.
The Pharisee’s Dinner Party: A Cautionary Tale
The story of the Pharisee’s dinner party, where Jesus was invited, serves as a poignant reminder of this principle. The Pharisee’s love and hospitality towards Jesus initially appear genuine, but they quickly dissipate when a sinful woman pours perfume on Jesus’ feet. The Pharisee’s condemnation of the woman reveals a deeper issue: his love was conditional, tied to his own expectations and biases. He lost sight of the true purpose of his invitation – to show love and kindness to Jesus.
In contrast, the woman who poured perfume on Jesus’ feet demonstrated unwavering love and devotion, despite her own shortcomings. Jesus’ response, “Your sins are forgiven,” underscores the importance of holding on to our love for Him, even in the face of adversity.
Faith, Purpose, and the Lord’s Will
So, how do we apply these lessons to our daily lives? How do we ensure that we prioritize what truly matters and move forward towards the Lord’s will?
- Reflect on your motivations: Examine your reasons for pursuing a particular goal or desire. Is it driven by a genuine passion or a superficial attachment?
- Prioritize the essential: Identify the core aspects of your life that bring you closer to the Lord and prioritize them above secondary desires.
- Cultivate unconditional love: Emulate the woman who poured perfume on Jesus’ feet, demonstrating unwavering love and devotion despite our own flaws.
- Stay focused on the Lord’s will: Regularly recalibrate your priorities to align with the Lord’s will, rather than allowing external circumstances to dictate your path.
the story of the seminary’s grass field and the Pharisee’s dinner party serve as powerful reminders of the importance of prioritizing what truly matters in our lives. By focusing on the essential aspects of our faith and purpose, we can move forward with confidence, guided by the Lord’s will.
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– What are the key reasons for prioritizing love and faith in our lives?
The Power of Prioritizing: A Reflection on Faith, Love, and Focus
As I look back on my time at Seoul Seminary, I remember a particular incident that taught me a valuable lesson about prioritizing what’s truly important. Our head priest asked all the seminarians to plant grass on the school playground, which was previously a dirt field. I was thrilled at the prospect of playing soccer on a lush green field, just like I had seen on TV. For several evenings, we worked together to plant the grass, but then we had to avoid the playground for a while to allow the grass to grow. This meant that our beloved soccer games had to take a backseat.
It was a small sacrifice, but it highlighted the importance of prioritizing. As seminarians, our focus was on becoming good priests, but we often got caught up in the excitement of playing soccer. In life, it’s easy to get distracted by secondary goals and lose sight of our primary objectives.
This principle applies to many aspects of life. Students may study hard to secure a good future, but academic stress can sometimes lead them to take their own lives. Politicians may promise to work for the people, but corruption and scandals often mar their reputations. Even in the church, people may declare their faith, but then turn away due to disagreements or disappointments.
The Importance of Focus
So, how do we stay focused on what’s truly important? The answer lies in our ability to differentiate between the subject and object of our desires. In the story I shared, the seminarians were so focused on playing soccer that they forgot the true purpose of planting the grass. Similarly, in life, we often prioritize the wrong things, leading to disappointment and frustration.
To move forward towards God’s will, we must be able to discern what’s truly important. We must recognize that our love for God is what drives us, and that our faith is what leads us to salvation. The Bible reminds us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
The Story of the Sinful Woman
The story of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume is a powerful reminder of the importance of staying focused on our love for God. The Pharisee who had invited Jesus to dinner was initially motivated by love, but when he saw the sinful woman, his love disappeared. He judged her and questioned Jesus’ wisdom in allowing her to touch him.
In contrast, the woman who poured perfume on Jesus’ feet never lost her love for him. She was forgiven and told to go in peace because of her faith. Her love for Jesus was pure and unconditional, and it led her to salvation.
Conclusion
As we navigate the labyrinth of life, it’s essential to prioritize what’s truly important. We must focus on our love for God and allow our faith to guide us towards salvation. As the quote of the day reminds us, “He who plans his daily routine and carries it out, has a thread to guide him through the labyrinth of life, which is extremely busy.”
let us remember to prioritize our love for God and stay focused on what’s truly important. Let us not get distracted by secondary goals and lose sight of our primary objectives. By doing so, we can move forward towards God’s will, guided by our faith and love for Him.
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