"I came because I was sick. I took a sabbatical year for treatment and ended up staying in Korea. Do you have a heart for missionary work in China?" This was the question asked of the writer of the Philosophy Column in the Catholic Peace Weekly.
The philosophy professor was curious about how his friend had set the direction of his life, pursued it, and then given up on it.
Until recently, the professor was a student. His life's direction was clear. The short-term goal of graduating made him anxious and impatient, but it simplified his daily life. He has no direction now since he has reached his goal and is doing meaningful work training seminarians. There is so much to do. Thankfully, many places need him. However, there are times when he wonders if it is right to spend each day as he does. Shouldn't he set some big and short-term goals? But it would also be nice if life was meaningful without this accomplishment.
What should he say when he stands at the top of the mountain he wants to climb? He feels proud of his accomplishment, but does he need to climb another higher mountain?
Where are we headed? Ancient ethics were interested in the purpose of life. Aristotle thought that the end, the destination, is contained within our innate nature. Our nature is drawn to good things. The perfection of our nature is our destination, and that is happiness.
Medieval Christian ethics considered the destination given to us to be God or union with Him, and they were as interested in the journey to get there as they were in knowing the destination. Our freedom is just as important as our inner nature. We can achieve the perfection of our nature depending on religious choices, so life is not like climbing Mt. Everest, where you have to go to reach a set destination, but the free choices we make to get to that destination, the emotions we experience, the relationships we form—the process.
Modern ethics, more human-centered, came to value the freedom discovered in the Middle Ages more than the given nature and does not pay much attention to distant destinations. Kant said it is not important what kind of person I am becoming, but I should focus on the right choices I make with my will right now. What do you think of our modern society? When you ask yourself what do you live for, what thoughts arise? My distant goal? A journey of grace and effort? Or my actions at this moment?
He has become accustomed to living a life toward a specific goal. Fortunately, he has realized that life's meaning does not come from achievement. His days are meaningful enough even if he doesn't pursue an achievement goal. He can look back and feel happy about his achievements, but the direction of his life is sufficient for meaning. It does not necessarily have to be directed toward some visible goal.
"We are all headed toward the truth. The brothers who live together serve as guides. We live together, pray, have fun, and go together toward the truth. Even though our lives are very different. We don't want to live a life where we bump into each other too closely and interfere with each other, but we are going together.
If we go together, won't we see our own paths?" The brother adds warmly as they finish the walk.
