All innovation begins with an idea and is followed by the belief that it is possible. It is faith that fuels the journey from concept, past numerous obstacles, to completion. In this edition of By Your Life, we’ll discuss not only our earthly journey, but the one to our heavenly homeland.

Mass Readings Audio
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/2019/19_08_11.mp3

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – August 11, 2019

Welcome to the seventy-second episode of By Your Life. I’m Lisa Huetteman and I know that you have a hundred different things you could be doing right now, so I thank you for choosing By Your Life. If you haven’t already, please sign up for notifications on your favorite podcast app or on the right side of this page so I can let you know when each new episode is posted. If you know of someone who can benefit from By Your Life, I’d appreciate it if you’d forward to a family member, co-worker or a friend.

My goal is to inspire, empower, support, challenge, and encourage you to connect Sunday, with Monday-Friday, in a secular, business world. It’s my desire to help you live our Catholic faith in the marketplace. I hope to offer you practical ways to go forth and glorify the Lord by your life.

In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time where we are reminded that our lives are filled with times and circumstances when we have to decide between holding onto the old or taking a leap of faith to grab ahold of the new. Most often, the new is a big unknown. Like Abraham, who “went out, not knowing where he was to go.” (Heb 11:8) and, “By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,” (Heb 11:9), we don’t have a clear idea of all the steps on the path we are on, but with faith, we are certain of where we are going. We have faith that the new is worth pursuing and we are willing to do whatever it takes to get there. “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1) Faith is clearly understanding what is desired, and a concrete belief that it will be.

My husband and I were watching 60 Minutes last week and one of the segments was about scientists in South Africa who went down two miles into the depths of the earth, following shafts from the gold mines in hope of finding life there. And they did. The next segment was about researchers at MIT, who developed ways to capture the brainwaves created by our thoughts and convert them into an internet search. So, instead of speaking or typing a question, you simply have to think it, and the internet provides the response. (I wonder if they can make it work without all the ads!)

I bring this up because these people had a belief—they had faith—that what they hoped for was possible and they pursued it with certainty that it would be a reality. They are examples of people who believed that new life form or new computer interface was possible, they simply had to work out the details. This is how all innovation happens. It begins with an idea and is followed by the belief that it is possible.

Although we may not be scientists or explorers, we all, in our own ways, have had points in our lives when we’ve had a dream that there is something better out there and had to leave the old behind to go after it. I have a friend on LinkedIn who announced this week that he was quitting his current job so he could to start “an amazingly frightful and exhilarating journey of being a full-time freelance writer,” something he’d dreamed about for the past four years. Godspeed, my friend, as you let go of the old and pursue the new. You’ve taken the first step in your success.

Over 16 years ago, I left the company that I had worked for over 21 years. It was my personal exodus. I had two young daughters who were growing up and I was missing it. I was miserable and so was my family. I was making good money and our family was dependent on my income. I had to leave, but where would I go? For over two years I prayed, “God help me to use the talents you have given me to do your will.” and then I left what had been my secure job of 20+ years and took a leap of faith to start my own business.

I remember the first of the many times that I was overcome by doubt and thought, “What if I can’t do this?” or “Maybe I should have stayed and stuck it out at my old company.” I was a lot like the Israelites who looked back at life in Egypt as being better than the life they had crossing the desert. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us, “If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.” (Heb 11:15-16) I too had to remind myself of why I left and what I was seeking in order to keep moving forward.

At the time, if I knew in advance all the struggles, the setbacks, and the financial cost of the choice that I made, I probably would never have done it. The reason is, that at the time, my measure of success was what I had to give up—that is, my title and my salary. My heart then was in the wrong place. My treasure then, was the type a thief could reach, or moth could destroy. Jesus warns us of this when he encourages us to “Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach, nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Lk 12:33-34)

In hindsight, I can see that my journey, including all the struggles, was an answer to my prayers and a perfectly orchestrated series of events, that led me to where I am now, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It was only through the experience of my journey that I discovered both what I was capable of and the value of what I was pursuing. My heart and my treasure are in a new place. Bishop Barron said in his homily about this Sunday’s readings, that “[God] is continually calling his servants to more; to move out beyond themselves ever more dramatically.” God is calling me. God is calling you. God is calling all of us to move out beyond ourselves. And the journey continues.

Over the course of my coaching career, I’ve coached others who like me, were transitioning from that comfortable, albeit miserable, corporate life to the scary and exciting world of self-employment. I helped them develop their strategic and tactical plans for launching their businesses. In doing this, I encountered three types of people.

The first were the ones who had their feet in both camps. They were still employed full time and wanted to start their businesses on a part-time basis before quitting their jobs. This strategy never led to success. Not one of these people was able to establish their business because they never committed to their business. Their current jobs always took precedence and it limited their ability to market to and serve potential clients.

The second type of person also never committed to their business but in a different way. These people had lost their jobs and needed to replace their income in order to survive. They couldn’t withstand the start-up. They were desperate and “desperate” doesn’t sell. Within six months, they abandoned their own business and ended up finding new jobs.

The third type of person was the one who was successful. They may or may not have had any more financial resources than the others, but they did have one thing the others didn’t – commitment. Retreat was not an option. They did not look back when moving forward was difficult. They crossed the Rubicon. They overcame the obstacles and continued to pursue their dream.

And this is what our lives are about; a series of journeys, from birth, to school, to work, to marriage, to parenting, to empty nesting, to caregiving, to being dependent others for care. Each phase involves letting go of the comfortable past and moving forward to a new, exciting and often scary future. Each are a part of our growth and development from who we are to who we have the potential to be. As the quote from C.S. Lewis so aptly says, “It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”

Is fear keeping you from learning to fly? Fear and faith cannot coexist. Are you too comfortable being an ordinary, decent egg? Are you too comfortable being an ordinary, decent Catholic? Beware! Christ said, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” (Lk 12:48) As Catholics, we are entrusted with much and as such we need to take up our missionary mandate in our families, schools, workplaces, communities, parishes and wherever we encounter those in need of God’s love.

God has blessed each of us with talents and gifts and desires to do his will. Beware of complacency. “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely.” (Lk 12:47) And if you think that you’ll get around to it, that is, get around to doing his will, perhaps when you’re not so busy building your treasure on earth, beware! I’ve never once heard anyone say, “Wow! I’m all caught up now!” A friend of mine who recently retired says she is now busier than she ever was when she was working. Don’t put it off “For at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (Lk 12:40) Now is the time for you to take that leap of faith. Now is the time for you to build the kingdom.

I’m a great fan of multi-tasking. I listen to audiobooks when I’m driving, grocery shopping, walking the dog and doing dishes. I pray my morning rosary while I get my exercise walking each morning. I evangelize at work. Those of us who are in the marketplace on a daily basis have an abundance of opportunities to multitask and share the love of God, by loving those with whom we work. We can build up our treasures in heaven while earning a living on earth. “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” (Lk 12:37)

If you’ve been thinking about doing something, if there has been a longing in your heart, what’s keeping you? Have courage! If Abraham, who was “as good as dead,” (Heb 11:12) “thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.” (Heb 11:11), you too can trust in the one who is trustworthy. What’s keeping you from taking that leap of faith?

Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to move more boldly in us so that we may truly glorify the Lord by our lives.

Heavenly Father, thank you for fearfully and wonderfully creating each of us. Help us live as the one you uniquely intended us to be. Direct and order our steps and be our eyes and ears in all situations. Help us to abide instead of just strive, living peacefully and joyfully as heirs to your kingdom and co-heirs with Christ. Amen

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