THE WORLD OF SATISFACTION

 “He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing”

         We all have what I refer the satisfaction world, in which we feel pleased/pleasure when we own it. If you've ever read the novel "The Alchemist," you'll comprehend that Santiago had heard of a hidden treasure in the Pyramid, and he placed himself for it - disregarding his parents' wishes for him to become a priest. Instead, he decided to become a shepherd so that he could journey to find the treasure. The hidden treasure had become a goal that both satisfied him and motivated him to seek it with eagerness.  

Dwelling on today's gospel, the disciple Phillip confesses to Jesus what satisfies him: "Teacher, teach us to know the Father, and then we will be satisfied." After several years of following in Jesus' footsteps, he is still unfulfilled, but he realizes what can satisfy him. As an impact of this, I have two thoughts for my focal ideas of sharing today.

First, what gives pleasure or what satisfies humankind? I cannot go further than the answer “Desire is what creates pleasures in humans”. 

Secondly, what pleasures/satisfies God?  God had shown himself to humanity through Jesus. God didn’t pretend to be a man or God didn’t pretend to have been born as a child but God is eventually an infant child. God also didn’t pretend to die on the cross but he died for humanity's love. This revelation leads to a greater objective: traveling in search of, discovering, carrying, and returning what was lost. When we look at Jesus' life, we can see that He went out and found the lost without grievance. 

And since we are in the Easter celebration of Jesus Christ, we take closely at Jesus’ paschal mystery and can see that Jesus was not the only one who was buried; but there were disciples who buried themselves as well. And we can see how scattered the disciples and Jesus’ followers were when Jesus died. But God rose from death and raised them up, He found the women and restored their faith(Lk 24, 9), He found the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24,31) and revived their spirit, He summoned and revealed himself to the group (Lk 24, 36), and He also appeared and reclaimed Thomas' faith (Jn 20, 27). Jesus did not want anyone to go astray. But He works tirelessly to find back what is lost, he works tirelessly to bring back what is buried from all the constraints of people. Jesus has risen to restore, revive, reveal, and reclaim. Jesus found back what was being buried and lost from all of his disciples. As stated in the MSC constitutions and statutes, no 8, I quote “Jesus, he is the risen one, who casts out fear in order to deepen our faith and love”.

Incorporate my personal experience. Admittedly, I got lost several times on my journey, and I was in anguish of chaos after returning to Vietnam from the Philippines. I had considered leaving since I began my home integration. And now you see me standing in front of you is a miracle because I've been brought back and reminded by God’s message "The gifts given to me are for a greater purpose." as I frequently say this quote, “Sometimes I thought I was buried, but actually I have been planted deeply and rootedly” which has been translated “rất nhiều lúc tôi nghĩ mình là hạt giống lép đã chết nhưng thật ra tôi là hạt giống đã được gieo sâu vào lòng đất”. “Sometimes I thought I was burried, but actually I have been planted deeply and rootedly”.

Before calling my sharing to a conclusion, I'd like to bring up a conclusive point: trials may divert me in another direction, but God remains in search for me; He goes for what satisfies him, He never ceases to search toward me and us. And when God enters our lives and possesses us with his love, (As Philip) it is not the end but the beginning of "our hearts begin to seek with great urgency" a way of life- living in the heart of God, who loves forever. I mentioned the name "Santiago" at the beginning of the sharing, and he set aside all other voices to search for his heart's longing.

Như Phi-lip-phê, tâm hồn chúng ta bắt đầu tìm kiếm một cách rất khẩn trương, tìm kiếm một lối sống - sống trong trái tim Chúa yêu muôn đời - "our hearts begin to seek with great urgency" a way of life- living in the heart of God, who loves forever. 

 

And it is this satisfaction that gives humanity pleasure and fulfills satisfaction. 

6/5/2023. Joseph Nguyễn Lê Thế Vương, MSC.