(Note: this writer decided to give his reflections based on the following Sunday Gospel (after the publication), hoping that it will help the readers to reflect on the Gospel before they go to attend the Sunday Eucharistic Celebration.)
Much had been said about attaining life to the full. Most often than not, it is always presented in view of our Christian life or our relationship with God. In the Christian perspective, the fullness of life would therefore mean our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Master and it also means our day-to-day obedience to His will.
This understanding is, indeed, an excellent way of attaining life to the full. We can have the fullness of life based on how close we are to following Jesus. He is the life-giver and, of course, He pours much of His life into us if we are in Him and He in us. But, if we are filled with our own self and our selfish interests and wants only a bit, if not, none of His life will be shared with us.
What I intend to tackle is how to live life to the full not in the light of our faith, though never apart from it, but in a way our simple minds would understand it. We have life in us, and we are alive. We say that a lively person is a happy one and it is true. If we are sad and feeling down, we are living as if we have no life in us at all. Digging deeper, of course, this would always arrive at the conclusion that genuine happiness is being with the Divine.
All of us have a life to live and we live our own individual selves differently from each other. We have our own source of happiness, and they also differ from each other. Some laugh aloud easily while some simply do not know how to appreciate petty things around us and so they never learned how to laugh. These people are never content with what they are and what they have.
Life is synonymous with happiness because to have life means that a person is happy and contented with everything that is in him including his talents, possessions and he is in full possession of himself. Happiness is freedom from all forms of slavery and the freedom to do anything under the Sun for as long as it is always in consonance with the God’s will.
Life, happiness, and freedom always go together, and this is the meaning of the fullness of life. What purpose could we ever think of our existence if not to possess life, happiness, and freedom? This is what we are working hard to achieve in the next life, to reach heaven because in heaven there is life to the full because, by then, we will be face to face with the fountain of life.
Living our lives to the fullest does not mean possessing all the riches that this world can give nor having in your hands all the power that you can get. It does not consist in being famous or glamorous because sometimes all these worldly things do not guarantee happiness and freedom. We can be rich, powerful, and famous but still in misery and sadness. We can even possess the entire world but still feel slave to it.
I do not mind eating “sardinas” for breakfast, lunch, and supper repeatedly because I enjoy the stuff. I do not mind having only a hundred-peso bill in my wallet for as long as I still have gasoline to power up and ride my Honda ADV and have something to put on in between my lips to puff. I do not mind having a “Blue Label” or a “Double Black Label” for my drink because the effect of a Ginebra or even “tuba” is just the same, I still get drunk and sometimes real drunk to the extent that I am out of my wits. Simple happiness, which is it and I would go for this kind of attitude in life even if I will be born again.
Fullness is life for me can be attained through simplicity and humility and by being able to appreciate everything notwithstanding the monetary value of things but appreciate them as gifts from God and put them to clever use. Life is full when you know where you are standing and when you know how to use all your given talents and abilities to effective use as they are originally intended to be. Be yourself, be appreciative and be happy and you have the fullness of life. Do His will and you will be full and complete!
I am still struggling hard to attain that fulness of life in me and how I wish I will realize it when my time in this world is up. We can only pray for one another and help one another to realize our dreams to enjoy the fulness of our lives.