In the Harry Potter's series, the appeal is that here is a little orphan boy abandoned who seeks to find himself. Rowling is appealing to all of us to find ourselves. I do not believe Harry is any hero at all and certainly not a role model; but his searching appeals to all kids to want to find themselves. The problem is that it cannot be done with sorcery or withcraft. Evil can never produce good. Only good can produce good. God created because "Bonum est diffusivum sui" - "Goodness has a tendency to go out of itself."
Finding our true self is a life-long search. If Jesus said: "He who finds his life, loses it; he who loses his life [for my sake] finds it." I believe this applies to finding and losing ourself as well. If we seek our fame and fortune and power [like Hitler, Stalin, Sadam, and bin Ladin], we will lose it. But men like St. Francis who gave up all to feed the poor and save souls truly found his life. A man is a football pro; but when he gets married, the responsibilities of raising children and taking care of a wife cut into his career big time. He finally gives up the career to raise his 8 kids. But his fame as an all-star quarterback would only been for a season in his life; his wife and kids are his life. By giving himself away, he found himself.
Everyone has an "essential course of action" in this life. We are given so much talent and faith and resources and character and soul to accomplish this course of action. Michaelangelo found it looking up at the Sistine Chapel wall as figures from his mind tumbled out of him unto the wall. His painting of this ceiling and sanctuary are the best works of art in the world. Even Raphael, the painter, found himself looking up at the Sistine Chapel ceiling and for the first time understood what painting was all about. Raphael painted the "Transfiguration" of Jesus - his finest work - in the style of Michaelangelo. When Raphael died shortly after at the age of 36, the painting of the "Transfiguration" was placed by his casket at his wake. It was totally who he was as a painter. He found himself at age 36. Michaelangelo was known to Da Vinci - one of the greatest mind to ever live. He said of Michaelangelo" "Artists of the future will hate him because he left no room for improvement." Da Vinci invented the tank, helicopter but had no combustian engine to make them work. But still he found himself as the greatest inventor of his age and even forshadowed inventions of our own age today.
What are you called to be and to do? It was only this year that I was convinced of what I am and what God wanted me to do: be a writer. I have written a 10 chapter book in a month and a half. I could not do that ever before in my life until now. My son and my priest both said that my vocation is to write. I feel that writing is living for me; and God wants me to write. I may just be as small as a seed; but if planted in the hearts of men and women, it can become a "tree of life". There is a beautiful proverb I remember: "A wish deferred makes the heart sick; but a wish fulfilled is the tree of life." I have never been as happy in my life as I am now because I have found myself. All my energies are in writing. I am not working; I am loving my readers. And I am a lover. My name is Pio [from Pius] which means "loving" in Latin. That is my vocation - who I am - to love others by speaking a word of hope to their hearts.
If you want to know who you are, you can do the following things:
1) Sit in front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Find out who He is; and you will find out who you are.
2) List all your talents. Write them out. See which one gives you the most joy. That is the road to finding who you are.
3) Ask your parents, siblings, friends what is your greatest or most predominant talent. Who do they see you as - focus on the consensus.
4) In your life, what has given you the most joy? Take that to God in prayer.
5) Ask God what He created you for and to do. God created hearing; so He can hear you fine.
6) How have you touched others? What were you doing? How did you do it. What was your intention?
The answers will help you to see into your soul.
7) If your were in a hospital bed and only a few days to live, what would you have wished you had done with your life? Do it now.
8) Whom do you love? Why? Love is the fire that drives the engine of your life. Without love you are just not going anywhere. It is the essence of who you are.
9) What is happiness to you: getting things from other or giving things to others? Cats cuddle up to you for their own comfort. Don't be that way with people. Better to love than to be loved.
10) If you can have kids, have them: fatherhood and motherhood are the greatest joys on earth and the greatest replenishing of the earth. To give life is to find your life.
11) Giving up all to follow Christ as a priest, brother or nun is also finding oneself IF Jesus is truly calling you. He called Francis of Assisi, Clare of Assisi, Bernadette of Lourdes, Ignatius of Loyola, John of the Cross, Teresa of Calcutta and Pope John Paul II. None of them would have been happy not following Christ. Their finding Jesus was to find their live completely. Jesus said: "I have come that you may have life; and have it abundantly." Abundant life is following Jesus be that as a married person, a single person, a doctor, a lawyer, a house wife, a mother, a father, a painter, a sculptor, a chef, a writer, a soldier serving your country, a farmer, a teacher and a home-schooler. All must be done in Christ and for Christ and through Christ for the honor and glory of the Father! What you find God wants you to do must continue after your retirement from your career. Your "essential course of action" is what you do always and bring even into paradise. St. Therese of Lisieux said: "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth."
Dearest Father, send Your Holy Spirit to all of us to truly find ourselves and to do what you created us to do for Your Kingdom to come on this earth as it is in heaven. Help us all to know that to find You is to find our selves and to find our true happiness. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Love, Pio
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