Identity Crisis
When you were a kid, what did you think it meant to be an adult? Get married? Have kids? Buy a house? Build a career? And once you did all those things, then what? Get promotions? Help your kids get into college? And once those are or were complete, what next? Once your kids are in college and out of the house, how will you define your life? After you retire, what then?
I think the way we have come to define our lives—by these worldly, societal values—has created in many of us a reoccurring identity crisis. We set our eyes on these goals and find life’s meaning in accomplishing them, make our entire identities about them, and once we meet them, then what? Who am I now that I’ve met all the goals and checked all the boxes of adulthood? Who am I now that I’m retired? Who am I now that my kids don’t really need me anymore? Oh…but grandkids!
You see, the problem isn’t that these goals are bad. No, family, job, house, are all wonderful and important parts of life, but they are ultimately NOT what define us as humans. Our life is not meant to be defined by the things that we do. It was defined for us before we were even born: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5).
I’d like to propose the idea that we as a society, are setting our goals too low. We are looking to the things of this world to define us and give life meaning (family, job, etc.), instead of the things of God. And as a result, we are experiencing tremendous identity crisis.
We were made to be saints. Every single one of us. Pope Francis tells us “The Lord wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence” (Gaudete et exsultate, 1). The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on to say: “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life…All are called to holiness” (CCC, 2013).
THIS is the ultimate goal for all humans: to be holy, to be saints. That is our true identity. And the makeup of our life – our family, our careers, etc. – are part of that journey to holiness. But they aren’t all of it. You, (insert your name here), are meant to be a saint.
I really want you to sit with this idea. If we set our goals too low, we throw ourselves into listlessness and crisis. Stop selling yourself short. You were made for more. You were made to be a Saint!