We live in an age of unprecedented self-absorption, where social media feeds our narcissism, consumer culture promises happiness through acquisition, and individual desires often eclipse concern for others. Yet paradoxically, this very selfishness serves as a spiritual classroom, making Christ's narrow gate more visible to those with eyes to see. When surrounded by the spiritual poverty of materialism and self-worship, the authentic path of surrender, service, and sacrifice stands out in stark relief. The contrast becomes so pronounced that those genuinely seeking God cannot help but notice the difference between the world's empty promises and the soul's deepest longings for truth and meaning.
This spiritual clarity born from contrast is actually God's mercy in action. In a culture obsessed with the temporary, the eternal becomes more precious. When everyone around us grasps for worldly success, the call to "lose your life to find it" resonates with supernatural power. The saints throughout history often lived in similarly corrupt times – think of St. Francis renouncing wealth in medieval Italy, or St. Thérèse finding the "little way" amid 19th-century bourgeois materialism. Our current age of selfishness doesn't hinder holiness; it illuminates it. The spiritually alive recognize that the world's obsession with self-promotion, instant gratification, and material accumulation only leads to the very emptiness and anxiety we see everywhere around us.
The urgency of our spiritual preparation cannot be overstated. Every day we postpone authentic conversion, every moment we choose comfort over virtue, every decision to blend in rather than stand out for Christ, we risk arriving at death spiritually unprepared for eternity. The selfish world around us serves as both a warning and a teacher – showing us exactly what happens when souls choose themselves over God. Yet we're not called to despair but to decisive action. This life is our one chance to get it right, our singular opportunity to cooperate with grace, form our character in virtue, and learn to love as God loves. The narrow gate isn't narrow because God is exclusive, but because genuine conversion requires us to squeeze out everything that isn't of Him.
Embracing this reality should fill us with holy urgency rather than paralyzing fear. We can view every selfish person we encounter as a reminder to surrender more completely to God's Will, every materialistic advertisement as a call to trust His providence over our own planning, and every example of worldly success that leaves people empty as confirmation that only God's Will can satisfy our hearts. The world's selfishness becomes our spiritual advantage – it's easier to choose God's Will when our own will so obviously leads to misery. This is our moment to shine like stars in a dark sky, to be salt that hasn't lost its flavor, to demonstrate through our joy and peace that following God's will leads to the abundant life He promised. The preparation time is now, the grace is available, and God's will – though it requires dying to self – is clearly revealed to those who seek it with sincere hearts.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
