Scripture defines life as a journey from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from despair to hope, a journey in which growth can happen and reaches its fullness.

The gospels project the very life of Jesus as a journey from birth to death, a pilgrimage from Galilee to Jerusalem, a journey in which Christ himself grows in his humanity and in his freedom to be what he was called to be.

Life by its very definition tends towards growth, and only people who are in such a process can really be happy. As in every journey, the thelos (the goal) is essential, as only those who know where they are going can really become fulfilled and happy as they walk the way.

The Lord himself defines himself as the Way. In fact, the first Christians adopted this name as their very identity, a name by which they defined and called themselves.

Theologian James Fowler says: “One characteristic all human beings have in common is that one cannot live without some sense that life is meaningful, that it has an aim, that we are not here by chance.”

Not only is the goal vital but also the journey itself. The Christian must develop a spirituality of the journey; the means by which one arrives at one’s goal must have also its own value and purpose.

In every journey there are stages, and it is in the process of moving from one stage to the other that the meaning and happiness of life can truly evolve.

For us Christians, the first important element of life’s journey is not to journey alone. We are called to journey together. Family, friendships and relationships become a means for us to achieve our aim of becoming more human.

We are called to be part of a community; solidarity becomes not only an obligation but a way of being. We journey together, and only in this way can we receive support and be challenged.

As we come to know ourselves better, we realise the great need for inner healing, which is a constitutive element in our journey of growth. Healing happens when we let go of bitterness and resentment and learn to trust ourselves, others and God.

Many people never really grow because resentment and fear keep them captives all their lives.

This process calls forth healing of memory as we grow from where we are to where we are going. We learn to live the present in freedom as we come to experience that we are fruit of the past but not slaves to it. When lived to the full, life becomes a gift received in gratitude.

Seasons are also part of life, and growth depends on the way we experience and move from one season to another. We experience regression when we get stuck in one stage. As our culture idealises eternal youthfulness, one may resist change and maturity, and growth is never truly achieved.

However, without any doubt, the most beautiful and helpful part of life’s journey of growth is the experience of falling in love, feeling loved, and loving others in return. It is incredible how many things are settled and can develop when such a feeling is experienced.

When people feel secure and experience the beauty of mutual loving relationships, they risk being weak and vulnerable and open themselves for feedback and growth. In love, everything takes on a new perspective, and new energy is created as people learn to surrender.

When love is experienced, childlike trust and freedom develop. A situation which before seemed impossible, becomes simple and clear as anxiety fades away, and we see others as a clearly as we see ourselves. In such inner safety, our desires can grow as we learn to surrender in the hands of love.

As love casts out fear, healing becomes a reality. As people grow in their trust, the preoccupation of what people think and perceive fades away and people let go of defence mechanisms that crippled them all their lives, and they are now free to move from the house of fear to the house of love.

In Scripture, life is a journey whose aim is love, trust, faith and inner freedom. It is a journey that gives those who embark on it, not only the joy of arriving, but also the beauty and freedom to surrender and become in the process what we are called to be: beautiful human beings.

ciliamartin@hotmail.com

Fr Martin Cilia is a member of the Missionary Society of St Paul.