Pursuit of a Good Life

There is a Capuchin priest-psychologist, commonly known as Bro. Marthy.  His real name is Martin Pable.  He said:

“The ceaseless pursuit of a good life, the drive to achieve material symbols of success, and the easy availability of recreational drugs and sex all combine to steer people away from reflecting on religious-existential issues.”

These words remind me of my own struggle as a priest coming from a third world country.  I lived a very simple life in the Philippines.  In the first three years of my religious life, I lived in an old abandoned house.  Our young congregation tried to make it a little conducive and transform it into a simple Formation House.  My first four years as a priest were no different.  I served as a missionary priest in a small province in the Philippines.  I lived in a very old house and my bedroom was much smaller than my bathroom here in the United States.  I didn’t even have my own bed.  I slept on a mat during those four years.  It was not misery; it was a life of pure simplicity and happiness while doing missionary work.

Now that I’m here in the United States, I feel that it is so easy to be carried away by the comforts and benefits of being a priest.  By my personal standard, the rectory is like a Five-Star hotel and the food is always great.  I also have my own office to work in and a car assigned to me to do ministry.  I never had these privileges before and it’s all overwhelming!  I feel that I am living in a dream.  I feel that I am a very rich person every single day.  I am always tempted to say that all of these are symbols of my hard work and success.  Very tempted!  These things and opportunities are very satisfying.  I am tempted to say that God is rewarding me for my hard work in the parish.  I am lured to be self-centered and it is easy to be materialistic.

I arrived in the United States on May 22, 2014.  On the day of my arrival, I vowed to myself that I would strive to live a simple life in a first world country.  I made a firm decision to never let go of my prayer life no matter what happens.  I promised to be vigilant and practice virtues.  After over 4 years in the US, I have been faithful to those promises.  I am equally humbled and at the same time grateful, because I know it is only by God’s grace that I was able to keep my promises.  I am also completely aware that if I let my guard down I can fall into the trap, into the “mundane ceaseless pursuit of a good life” that Pable is referring to.

There is nothing wrong with our pursuit for a good and comfortable life, but we have to remind ourselves every moment that this pursuit should not lead us away from what is the most essential in our life.  Let us remember that the most genuine pursuit to a good, meaningful and happy life; is a life filled with God and a life filled with healthy relationship with others.