Wandering in College and in Life

The average college student changes their degree 3 times.  And after graduation, only 27 % get jobs in their area of study!  I bring this up because without clear direction and destination, we usually find ourselves wandering through life. 

I clearly fell into both categories.  Even though I didn’t change my degree 3 times, I debated switching my major from general engineering to math, to education, or business.   The one thing that prevented me from changing degrees was a change in major would involve more schooling and more money, that which I, nor my parents had to spend.  So, I finished my major only to tell my parents that I was going to work for the Church.  You can imagine their excitement! 

What is clearly seen on college campuses and in life is that we seem to wander.  This happens when we don’t have a clear destination.  College students change their major because they don’t know what career they want to pursue.  This happens not only during this transitional time of life, but overall in every one of our lives including our spiritual life.

Many times, when we ignore are ultimate destination; to be in a relationship with our God; our heart begins to wander from one thing to the next.  We look for self-fulfillment in the pleasures of the world.  Or maybe, which has happened to many of my family and friends, we wander to seek other “spiritual” truths, ignoring the very fact Jesus Christ, who is God, has revealed everything about God through His life and His body, the Church. 

This is what the readings of this week are driving at!  They are giving us the direction and destination of how we are called to be with God.  To seek the Lord, to live out our lives in the Beatitudes found in the Gospel and that our lives will end up in Heaven with God!  So, let us put everything aside, stop our wandering, and seek to be union with our God who is love!