Devotion: What Really Matters

1 John 2:12-17 And the world is passing away, along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (v.17)

How often we forget this! This world is passing away. You and I are passing through. This is not our final destination; this is not our home. And yet we hold, cling, and grasp for things that will not last any more than we will. It is so easy to forget John’s warning, “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:12).

As Catholic Christians, we have to be conscious of two opposing influences on our lives. One influence constantly tries to convince us that “now” is all that matters, that “pleasure” is our highest call, and that “things” will make us happy. Christian literature often calls this “the world.” On the other hand, the Holy Spirit is also at work in the Christian’s life. He is always trying to show us that eternity is reality, that obedience is our highest call, and only our relationship with God in Christ can truly make us happy. Only in that can we “abide forever.”

John urges us to ignore the voice of the world and listen closely to the voice of the Spirit.

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Tags: Heaven, Holy Spirit, St. John the Evangelist, world

Category: Faith