As we approach autumn, we may choose to think of the coming weeks and months as a season of opportunity and new beginnings. Young people across Northern Virginia are already back in school, embarking on a new year filled with promise.
Certainly, the academic year brings with it the pursuit of knowledge — facts, figures and skills. Yet, in an age where raw information is so readily accessible, it is worth reflecting that a true education extends beyond mere book knowledge, as important as that is. As a people of faith, we know that the truth is found ultimately in a person, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The divine light of God is what moves us from knowledge to wisdom. This is why the pursuit of knowledge must always include a pursuit of deeper connection with God and relationship with Our Lord. Growing with God leads to the true happiness that we all seek, both in this life and in eternity, and answers the deepest longings of the hearts of young people, especially, for encouragement and reassurance about the meaning of their lives.
To foster this growth, we must encourage our youths to embrace a spirit of vitality and openness to God’s grace. Cynicism, which may cause us to doubt the goodness of God’s plan, and perfectionism, which leads us to strive after an impossible standard of flawlessness, both stifle spiritual progress. Instead, may we encourage one another through a practice of humility along with zeal, trusting that God works through our efforts, even in moments of struggle. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux reminds us, “Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will, and being just what God wants us to be.” By seeking God’s will in our daily lives, we all may experience a joy and lightheartedness that serve to attract others to a relationship with God and a life of discipleship.
Obviously, this season offers each of us an opportunity for renewal. Our culture sometimes leads us to believe that real personal growth is, ironically, something that we outgrow over time. We may be led to believe that at a certain point or at a certain age, we simply are what we are or that change and deeper conversion are beyond our grasp. The truth is that growth is always possible, and indeed all of us are called to participate in the lifelong process of conversion. This is why growing in our knowledge of the Catholic faith is a lifelong endeavor. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the lives of the saints, and the sacred Scriptures are living treasures that equip us today for active, dynamic, and faithful lives. To know Christ more deeply, we must immerse ourselves in prayer and in his Word and the teachings of his church. So, this fall, may we commit to deepening our understanding of the faith in some concrete and specific way, perhaps by reading a spiritual classic, exploring the richness of the catechism, or joining a community or ministry at our parish.
As we stand at the dawn of this fall season, may we ask ourselves: What are we truly pursuing? Are we seeking the fleeting pleasures of this world, or are we striving for the eternal joy that comes from knowing and loving God? The answer to this question certainly defines our days, but at a deeper level it also shapes our destiny. For our young people, may this academic year be a time of discovering the truth that sets them free. For all of us, may it be a season of renewed learning and deeper faith.
In the words of St. Augustine, so beloved by our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” May this fall be a season of growing with God and of walking the path that leads to eternal life. May we go forth with courage, trusting that the Lord accompanies us every step of the way.
