“I’m scared, Daddy!” shouted my son above the din of man-made water rapids and squeals of about five hundred other kids. We were at a water park on a hot summer day, and we were making our way through the “Lazy River.” The problem for my son was that this part of the Lazy River offers a difficult choice. It branched off into two paths. One path was, well, lazy, while the other path was a surge of rapids, water eruptions, and lots of spraying water. For a five-year-old it was quite intimidating, and he was seeking the more calm and tranquil path. He couldn’t connect with the promise that, while more intense and intimidating, it was also the most exciting and rewarding part of the ride.

Life after divorce offers us two paths as well: our path and Christ’s path. So often we prefer our path. We want to live life on our terms, our timelines, and in our comfort-zone. We’ve been through hell and we would just rather coast through life at a pace, and on a path, of our choosing. Yet, Christ invites us down His path. A path that is often intimidating and more difficult because it requires us to follow through on what we profess to believe. It is one thing to say you are Catholic and an entirely different thing to really live it. Christ’s path challenges us to live His teachings, including the hard ones, like forgiveness, honesty, chastity, mercy, and love.

Christ never wants to leave you where you are. He is constantly urging you forward to live the amazing life He has planned for you, and to become the magnificent person He created you to be. His path will get you there. If you can surrender and allow yourself to be caught up in His current, you will come to see that your best life lies ahead of you, not behind you. Which path will you take?

I have come so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. – John 10:10

Originally posted 2014-09-02 06:00:43.