Focus

By Greg Zambrano 

What is your focus? What is your desire? In which direction are you heading?

As head of my family, I must ask myself these questions.

Being focused on the way of Christ is essential, because if I am not determined to head in that direction my family probably won’t either. My children are too young, and they need me. If I don’t go to Sunday Mass, my kids are not going by themselves. If I do not pray a rosary, read from the Bible, go to confession or walk the Stations of the Cross with them, where is their motivation? If I don’t listen to Mother Angelica, Marian Father Chris Alar, Josemaría Escrivá or Bishop Fulton Sheen with them, they probably won’t get to it on their own. 

Eventually, my children will independent in their holy vocation but currently I must be their teacher, counselor and guide; as their father, I must be focused on Christ. 

Lent, for me, is like a ship coming into harbor for regular maintenance and careening; the tug boat that gently presses towards the right direction which otherwise might be overwhelmed by the current. By participating on the prayers, almsgiving and fasting during Lent, I refocus on what is important – my salvation and the salvation of others through Christ our Lord.  

It’s not easy to stay focused on heaven, but with prayer, alms giving and fasting we may achieve less earth and more heaven. It’s God’s will on earth as it is in heaven.

If “our hearts made like unto thine,” they will lead us to heaven. By following this guideline, our hearts will not be apprehensive but achieve Christ’s determination to achieve God’s will. They will have phenomenal courage, focus and faith to achieve the goal of heaven. 

Focus on Christ; ask him for his courage to walk the way to get to him. Imagine him in his agony sweating blood, in prayer in full accord with his father. His sacrifice and strong determination to do God’s will is our way to heaven, inheritance and legacy. This is what we must pass on to our children.