Choosing Your Life's Philosophy - Weekday Homily Video

St. Paul, as he usually does, greets the Colossians, as brothers and sisters and reminds them and us that we have received the Lord Jesus Christ.  

He then encourages us to walk with Jesus and to have our lives rooted in our faith in God.  

But as Paul often does, he also draws to our attention to a potential pitfall that he wants us to avoid… 

Do Not Be Made Captive

Saint Paul is calling us to be vigilant as he says, “See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to the tradition of men or the elemental powers of the world…and not according to Christ.” As I read those words, I thought about a question for all of us…what is your philosophy about life? One definition of philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, and reason to understand the world and our place in it.  

Now whether you’ve had a formal class in philosophy or not, it’s good to ask ourselves, through what intellectual lens do we answer the big questions about our lives like what’s my purpose in this life and how do I fulfill it….to the everyday questions such as who do I make time for on a regular day in September? Or what are the top three things I need to get done and what are the means that I will use to get them done?  

Faith and Reason

I have to admit, before going to seminary, I never took a philosophy class. But that didn’t mean that I hadn’t developed a philosophy about life…one that as the semesters went by, I discovered needed some fine tuning.  

The value in hearing Saint Paul’s warning is that it’s good first of all realize that the use of our minds the intellectual power that God has given us is meant to serve our faith.  

Saint John Paul II wrote a poignant encyclical titled Fides et Ratio which translates to Faith and Reason in which he shows how faith and reason are meant to work together as we grow in knowledge, love, and service to God and all that He brings into our lives.  

Modern Influences 

As I was writing this homily Stephen Driscoll, one of our Family Rosary team members, came by and I asked him: what do you think are some of the things that influence our philosophies of life today? He mentioned the external ones of social media, entertainment including music and video, as well as advertising that can lead us to place money, power, and popularity as our top goals. 

This is what Saint Paul is warning about when he speaks of “…the elemental powers of the world.” 

And, I don’t have to name all the philosophies of the tradition of men, all you just have to watch late night TV/or surf online and listen to all the programs that will change your life if you buy a video…or maybe go into the self-help or new age section of a bookstore.  

Christ As Our Foundation

Now, this isn’t to say that these programs don’t have good in them, but Saint Paul wants us to remember that our foundational understanding about life comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is through that relationship that we can use our intellect to ask questions and find the answers to the big and small questions that we will face today.  

Every time that we choose to attend Mass, take time to pray with our families or friends or in private, every time we go to Confession or Eucharistic Adoration or read and reflect on the Word of God we draw upon the grace of God to enable our minds to make sense of this world that is meant to lead to heaven.  

Just look at today’s gospel, where Jesus called the Twelve up onto the mountain and named each of them as one of his Apostles. In that moment they discovered their path in life from that moment on…and from there they walked down with Him to a large crowd of disciples. 

My brothers and sisters, every time we encounter Jesus and open our minds and hearts to His message and grace, He helps us to understand our vocation and mission in this life, and like the Apostles we then walk with Him into our homes, work, school, and communities to serve God and all those He places in our lives.  

• Today’s Readings
  
  
• Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
  
  
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