The Moral Life ... by our own JP

​Life throughout the teenage years is a complex balancing act between our social, academic, and extracurricular responsibilities. On top of all of that, God expects us to live a moral life. The challenging nature of this path puts off most of the people at our schools, but we at Epiphany do not shy away from difficulty. I mean, we are talking about reaching eternal union with God here.
 
From the outside, one would think that morality would be cut and dry. Don’t kill, don’t steal; basically just follow the ten commandments. But as we all know, in reality it is so much more complex than that. Using the criteria that we learned in class a few weeks back, we have the ability to make moral choices. First, we must ask ourselves if the action we are committing is good or evil. Next, we must realize what the true intent of this action is. Finally, we must take into consideration the circumstances around our decisions. If our action fails any of these test, it is probably something we shouldn’t do.
 
Knowing what choices to make is only half of the battle. The most difficult part is actually following through on those choices and living a holy life. In high school, it is even more difficult because most people around us live immoral lives. I am sure we have all witnessed situations where people committed actions that strayed from God’s intended ways. I remember my freshman year in the soccer locker room, upperclassmen were talking about girls, drugs, and partying. What they were saying about the girls was particularly offensive. If the cooler, older guys are doing these things, I understand why so many young kids follow suit. But God calls us to be beacons of light in the darkest places. I didn’t stand up to these guys because I was so scared of what they would do to me, but looking back, I completely failed in defending God’s daughters. If we would all call out our peers for their evil actions, our schools would no longer be environments where this behavior is applauded. Instead, schools would become places filled with God’s love.
 
God has called each and every one of us to be saints, but I am sure we have all failed in living a life of morality at some point in our lives. However, it is not too late to correct these mistakes. I urge everyone to go to confession during this Advent season in order to prepare our souls for the birth of our savior Jesus Christ and return to the path that God intends us to walk.
 
God bless you all,

JP Lara

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