August 11, 2023

Guest Column / Richard Etienne

Move into the unknown in life while building the kingdom of God

Richard EtienneThere is a never-ending task that humans must grapple with in life. We must decide where to put our energy regarding life’s endeavors: personal development, interpersonal relationships or even one’s involvement in parish and communal activities. And it often seems to boil down to merely maintaining the status quo—a routine that has developed through time—versus making necessary changes into uncharted, unknown areas in our lives.

Put another way, we can continue to do things as they have always been done or we can choose to make changes—be they very minor in nature or possibly quite major—like a career change.

One exercise in which nearly everyone could benefit is to undergo an honest review of his or her calendar. What tasks represent the largest percentage of time commitment in a typical week or month? What is important in the long run and what truly is not that important? What is urgent or immediate in nature and what is more long-term in nature?

Are there other activities in your discretionary time that could be better utilized to focus more on the building of the kingdom of God? Is it time to discontinue some things that no longer seem as important to make some

much-needed space?

In the Gospel of Luke, we hear Jesus’ discourse on how a person is encouraged to approach the most basic material things in life such as food and clothing. He says, “… Your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides” (Lk 12:30-31). If we can live this way, we might have more time and energy to focus on important long-term endeavors.

I admit I have an eternal struggle in my own life between holding the line on the status quo and moving forward into the unknown. How will you proceed into that perpetual unknown future that lies out there waiting for you?
 

(Richard Etienne has a degree in theology from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad and resides in Newburgh, Ind., in the Evansville Diocese.) †

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