What Makes Life Meaningful?
Vložit
- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- Friends, what makes life meaningful? What is meaning, and where do we find it? Those are the pressing questions Brandon Vogt and I discuss today on “The Word on Fire Show.” We also recap my conversation with Jordan Peterson, Jonathan Pageau, and John Vervaeke, and highlight two recent surveys dealing with the question of meaning.
A listener asks whether it's really true that nobody pursues evil for its own sake.
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today: / bishopbarron
---SHOW NOTES---
www.wordonfireshow.com/episod...
---WATCH---
Subscribe to this Channel: bit.ly/31LV1sn
Word on Fire Institute Channel: bit.ly/2voBZMD
Word on Fire en Español Channel: bit.ly/2uFowjl
---WORD ON FIRE---
Word on Fire: www.wordonfire.org/
Word on Fire Institute: wordonfire.institute/
FREE Daily Gospel Reflections (English or Español): dailycatholicgospel.com/
---SOCIAL MEDIA---
Bishop Barron Instagram: bit.ly/2Sn2XgD
Bishop Barron Facebook: bit.ly/2Sltef5
Bishop Barron Twitter: bit.ly/2Hkz6yQ
Word on Fire Instagram: bit.ly/39sGNyZ
Word on Fire Facebook: bit.ly/2HmpPpW
Word on Fire Twitter: bit.ly/2UKO49h
Word on Fire en Español Instagram: bit.ly/38mqofD
Word on Fire en Español Facebook: bit.ly/2SlthaL
Word on Fire en Español Twitter: bit.ly/38n3VPt
---SUPPORT WORD ON FIRE---
Donate: www.wordonfire.org/donate/
Word on Fire Store: store.wordonfire.org/
Pray: bit.ly/2vqU7Ft
Come, Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts and minds with your love and wisdom....
Amen!
Word on Fire is leading me towards the Catholic Church, albeit slowly and thoughtfully. For the first time in years, I'm truly and earnestly seeking Meaning. Exhilarating, yet sometimes frightening!
Welcome home, in advance!
I also had a long road to conversion. Everything in God's time...
P0p00pp0p0p00ppp0000p
It took me 30 years from my first desire to be Catholic until my confirmation 👍
With a name like "Thomas Flannery" I think Catholicism is inevitable. 😀
Sometimes you need borrowed faith. When you’re too discouraged, too tired, been through too much, that’s okay. God will have friends with faith that are there for you. Someone to call to let you know they’re praying, someone to stop by with an encouraging word, someone to go to God on your behalf. Their prayers will touch heaven for you. I don’t know if you need a friend today or you feel like you don’t have faith for yourself. Or maybe, God has you reading this to remind you to be a friend with faith, to not just have faith for yourself, but to let someone borrow your faith. Thanks for your support and prayers. Amen
Beautiful
Yes! Just reading this, St. Paul to the Corinthian church. Working together w/ various charisms within the Body so it functions properly
so beautifully said...
Thank you so much for your beautiful and inspiring thoughts😊
Please do pray for me. I am going through a hard time because my beloved mother just passed away. Pray for her too.
The happiness in the face of Bishop Barron when Brandon mentioned about his 8th child is something really beautiful to see! We can truly see that he is happy about a new person coming from this blessed family!
Congrats Brandon on the new child! May God bless you and your family!
Y
I pray 🙏🏽 Bishop Barron becomes the first American 🇺🇸 Pope!!! If it’s Gods will.
Congratulations Brandon and Catleen for your 8th child. Your'll are really blessed. And thank you Bishop Barron, i just love listening to you on the Word on Fire show. You are a wonderful speaker. It was so nice to see you so jovial and laughing and smiling on this show. You made me smile too. GOD bless you abundantly. Stay safe ➕❤
BB is a mature and thoughtful man with a clean and pure heart. 💜
Bishop Barron you are truly a successor to the apostles, I’m a older convert to the Catholic Church and listening to word on fire and the Catholicism series a big part of my conversion. Ten years in so in love with the church, thank you Bishop
"Perform today the simplest act of love. Will the good of another". So well articulated
"May we always return to you God, the same love that you used to create us". This is something I recently changed in my night´s prayer. Because I was sort of in a mess when I asked to be put in the path that he wanted us to do, without knowing a "system" that corresponds to that goal. So now I found my "meaning". Do everything that I feel that will return that Love back to God. Let it be in prayer, in deed, in my work in everything.
Bishop Baron i wish to thank you for all these priceless truths i am hearing from you . You re a person of value indeed in many ways.
You want to know what makes my life meaningful? Well I’ll tell you a few things that make my life meaningful.
1. Hanging out with friends who have positive vibrations at any Catholic Church.
2. Praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it’s mysteries.
3. Praying the Chaplet of Saint Michael the archangel.
4. Praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 pm.
5. Attending Catholic mass every week and every weekday.
6. Keeping myself away from people who have negative vibrations.
I work at a charity and we recently had a brainstorming session where we were tasked with thinking of the charity's "Why Statement". I couldn't help but think that this is the equivalent. "Why" am I doing what I'm doing??? This needs to be top-of-mind SO MUCH MORE in today's world!
And "even in the most desperate moral situation", it humbly seems, evangelically speaking our calling as Catholics is to help connect that person to the greatest good: the One who is the first cause of all of our yearnings -God.
Congratulations Brandon!!! Thanks Bishop Barron for all the wisdom! Blessings to both of you!
Come Holy Spirit we need you 🙏🕊🙏
Amen 🙏🏾
I liked Bishop Barron’s answer to the question at the end of the show. I believe the only time when we are truly and fully parted from God is in hell but here on earth even amongst wickedness there is at least some good within us.
I liked your words Bishop. They were very beautiful, meaningful and showed depth. I really enjoyed where you talked about the beauty of the world like Plato's Symposium. Thank you!
Thank you for your words too, Brandon. And Congratulations!
I believe that in the WORD ON FIRE bible bishop Barron penetrates deeply into what Jesus is trying to communicate to us in the gospels.
Thanks Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt.
It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that our meaning in life is to get things from this world that can make us happy, famous, or better than others. I think religious Christians, non-religious, and people of other faiths will fall into that definition one way or the other. Of course, the problem with that is, all of us, no matter what we can do, will in the end lose the things we own, will always have new problems in life no matter how much we've "climbed up", and will never get the ideal situations we imagined previously. And for many people, just to get the sufficient necessities of life can be very difficult and despairing.
The idea of putting our meaning of life into the materialistic mindset is destroying our souls and dignity of life; as though if we don't get what we're "expected to" from our family or society, or if we can't have a "productive" working life, we're a waste in the society and a problem. However, we're alive and conscious not because we've signed a contract to have certain things or do certain things, we're alive purely because of God's love at the very fundamental, if the love of the family is taken away by evil. We're alive so that we can know God and be with God in the eternal goodness, no matter how we're called to do our parts in the pilgrimage to heaven.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matthew 24: 35)
God bless and protect you, Bishop Barron! 🙏
The good knocks us down... order ourselves to the supreme good...for we are baptized children of God...transcendent beings and real value. 😊
AMEN
Amen
Thank you bishop barron. Congratulations brandon for the 8th child. Wow! God bless all. Great 2020 WOF and the silent majority WoF.
Bishop Barron. God bless you.
facts as a former new age practitioner. I never achieved peace love or happiness by my own merits. Now with God, he naturally gives me peace love, and happiness for free without me doing anything. Especially when I am under the influence of the Holy Eucharist. It is as if I was walking in literal heaven.
Thank You Bishop for what you are doing :)
I think Bishop Barron's conclusion tying meaning to love is spot on. Ultimately, I think that this why so many people derive meaning from love for their families. This form of "willing the good of the other" for spouse and/or children comes very naturally. Even many animals are capable of this sort of love. Of course, in our society, the most publicly celebrated form of love is "Romantic Love", know in some form of Greek as "Eros." This reminds me of the "Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis, in which the highest form of love is Charity, or Agape, Love. I suppose that Lewis owes a debt to St. Augustine (of Hippo) in his conclusion that all lower/natural loves are properly ordered/perfected in their orientation to Divine Love. Affectionate love for family and romantic love come naturally for man, but are still disordered by man's fallen nature. "What God is by nature, man becomes by Grace."
The fact that 80%+ of Americans believe in a supernaturally ordered plan or purpose for their lives makes sense to me. I would say that this generally over laps with a belief in God (or Higher Power). As a (somewhat reluctant) Protestant, my observation is that most people that I know believe in God, but many are skeptical of organized religion. Often, this is the result of some sort of bad/unpleasant experience with the people and/or institutions of the Church. And in another sense, this comes from America's overall (Neo) Protestant spirit... In some novel strains of theology, Faith is sometimes reduced to a one-on-one relationship rather than a belonging to an Faith Community (i.e. the Church). I am sometimes asked "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?" My answer, is "Yes, I do have a personal relationship with Jesus through His Mystical Body, the Church." In classic Christian theology, getting closer to God means also involves getting closer to other members of the Mystical Body, both here on Earth and in Heaven.
The cultural indoctrination of "Finding my meaning from within" that Bishop Barron mentions here is certainly relevant here. In a sense, most Americans are comfortable with a relationship with God, on their own terms. In my experience, this would apply to most other Protestants that I know, and many lapsed Catholics as well. On a positive note, it would seem that, unlike the situation in Europe, most Americans believe in God. But on a less optimistic note, it seems to me that most American Christians that I know (Catholic and Protestant alike) tend to "pick and choose" (Thanks to Bishop Barron for teaching me the Greek word for this!) what tenets of the Faith that they choose to practice/believe...
I live in France now, and last year I follow bible in a year by Fr Mike Schmitz using my french bible. What surprise me, in the french bible, they don't translate the word love into 'armour' but they translate it 'charité'. It makes more sense now of the meaning of love is just like what bishop said, knowing that he studied in France before.
Thank you God for this Bishop and Brandon
The summation of my theological study and teaching in summary! Thank you, Bishop Barron! 🙂
Wonderful .... reminds me of one of the definitions for insanity, apt in today's culture: doing the same thing over and over and getting the same (unsatisfying unhappy) result. Thank you for this post! Lots of wise comments as well.
@@stingingnettle9726Thank you for asking. I meant that repeatedly looking for peace and happiness in this world without Jesus is not ultimately satisfying. Doing so over and over again believing, even well intentioned, is frustrating and crazy making. Prayer is a deeply personal subject that I did intend to include. Sorry about that. God bless!
13:03 I think is some what of a half truth. Socrates once said, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” What he meant by this was if you understand the ways in which you are ordered what drives you, what gives you joy, what brings you pain, etc… you can use that to get you in deeper contact with reality and yourself. Then as you self realize you can self actualitize the truth that brings you to God, and that then becomes a reciprocal process
Congratulations Brandon on your eighth child!
This is a wonderful video and thanks for sharing, Bishop Barron! ✝️🙏
Blessed be God forever.
Quite a thoughtful discussion. I had a debate with someone along these lines who is more of an agnostic than anything and I told him I believe we are hard wired for God, meaning we have an innate desire to be one with a higher, transcendent being or power. The conversation was civil until I said I think a lot of our trouble relates back to the fact that people have decided to rebel against God, in essence, declaring war on Him. Well that raised his temperature quite a bit and I decided the better part of valor was discretion at that point so I moved the conversation onto another subject. I did that because I know a hardened position when I see one. The thing is, this same person was quite intrigued by the idea that we are an extension of the universe and that we were created as a way for the universe to understand itself. When I substituted the universe with God he wasn't that keen on the idea. I think there are a lot of people out there who are fighting against their basic nature, which is to have a relationship with God and I agree that no matter how hard they try to find meaning from within that basic need to be a part of something larger than ourselves will never be fulfilled.
I have not seen a single kid in my life who started babbling about god without adults teaching religion to them. Neither have you. Your "hardwiring" is simple programming at an early age.
@@lepidoptera9337 So we don't have a natural instinct to find meaning through a higher power than ourselves? Because that was the point I was making with my friend. I'm honestly curious if that is what you believe, but I won't use terms like babbling or insinuating I know anything about what you have or have not experienced like you did here with me. I am interested in an honest debate if that is what you want.
@@itinerantpatriot1196 Do kids have invisible friends? Yes. Do they nail them to a cross to attain forgiveness for their sins? No, usually not. ;-)
And since we are talking about sin... you are just another person who doesn't know where sin is defined in the bible. I win. :-)
@@lepidoptera9337 Okay.
@@itinerantpatriot1196 Why is lying to children okay now? It's despicable. :-)
I find these programs very informative as well as interesting. I look forward to more of them. Thank You!
In a different note..congrats on the eighth child coming! Awesome. God bless your family Brandon.
Bishop Barron!
I enjoy how father makes his point without feeling the need to denigrate others or others' faith traditions. What I value about our Catholic faith Is that we do not define ourselves by criticizing any other religion or tradition. We have an entirely affirmative belief: we affirm "One body and one Spirit; one hope One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Amen.
That's an awesome comment☆
11:45 I love your reaction, so much joy
God bless you all
Thank you so much. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing this conversation!
This is an excellent show today. Perfect topic, expounded upon gracefully 🙏🏻❤️✝️
Indeed☆
Absolutely brilliant! Word on Fire has changed my life!
Thank you♥️
Every kid on every college campus should hear this.
Meaning, I found it on an early morning flight and looked down observing the world, perfect don't know for sure but it's as close as I can perceive at this time but here on the ground is another question.
Beautiful, thank you Bishop! God bless you Bishop!
Bishop Barron I totally agree with you with the will seeking the good I understand it completely it may sound like it's weird it's most
🕊🕊thank you for sending my roots rain🕊🕊
Listening from the Philippines 2023. Thank you Bishop
Great episode!
Excellent show Brandon and Bishop Barron. Answer to the issue of wicked person seeking something good is not at all convincing regardless of who suggested it in terms of the will by it’s very nature seeking the good. I am persuaded by J.P.’s argument that wicked is wicked. Byrne
Be careful...For now you've set a power up that is a rival to God. Even the devil is not utterly bad, for his existence, intelligence, will, and personality are, in themselves, good. What is evil in him is a corruption of those good qualities.
Very good question
Que alegría!
Felicidades a toda la familia por ese bebé que viene en camino! Bendiciones a sus papás! Saludos desde Cd de Mexico!
Wonderful uplifting
Congrats Brandon 🙏
Bishop Barron love listening to you Thanks So Much, GOD bless The Catholic Religion The True Religion 🙏
Just love it
"The purpose of life as far as I can tell... is to find a mode of being that's as meaningful that the fact that life is suffering is no longer relevant." *- Jordan B. Peterson*
That’s really good.
@@patriciawarner9680
Thanks Patricia for being here ☆
Stay blessed as always☆☆☆☆☆☆
From experience, my Catholic faith was reawakened after I read the Bible. Specifically, the Gospels. I comprehended what Jesus had done for me and sobbed. Soon after I could see God’s hand in creation. Clearly I was given the grace to come to that awareness. My husband also questioned the meaning of life. I suggested he read the Bible. He did. His life changed forever. He entered RCIA and received the Sacraments of Initiation. Today, he is also a Permanent Deacon. Read the Bible ( it is alive) would be my suggestion to someone who is questioning the meaning of life and pray for that individual.
I'm a latecomer to this show, so this isn't exactly timely, but congrats on #8 to Brandon and Kathleen. My late husband and I were the parents of 8 as well; it's a fine number.
The time of the four horsemen of meaning has come😎
Congratulations Brandon. Thank you Bishop Barron. God created intellect to seek truth and our will to desire good but why and how the same intellect accept lies and will desires that are not good? This happened to adam and eve before the fall. How do we understand this? Thanks again
Bishop Barron encouraged me to reflect on Martin Luther’s writings on the priesthood of all believers.
Good Thursday evening Bishop Robert Baron
Greetings from Brazil!
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.G❤😍od bless&protect😍🙏
🤗 Amen 🙏🏾
Go😍❤d bless&protect 8th children Brandon😍💑🎁🌞🙏🙏🙏
Word.
Meaning is found following the lives of the Saints, who lived for the eternal which remains forever, that no one can take away from us, not time, age or the world!!!! fresh beautiful faces fade away in 4 decades, riches come and go, health deteriorates and we die, some friends would abandon us....the human heart longs for eternity!!!!none of this world would fill in that longing for GOD!!! the wealthy heritage of the Mother Church will allow anyone to choose a saint of his liking and imitate him!!!they are our older brothers!!
great comment at the end Lose your self and find beauty in waht we see or feel/ THANK YOU
Pope Francis dedicated this year to Blessed MOTHER what a great dedication from Holy Pope Francis GOD Bless Him I love Him so much
Best Pope, 2nd to St John Paul II. Love Pope Francis!!
The Bishop will never see those who decide/ refuse to seek someone such as the good Bishop Barron. They may,in fact be hostile to him as he has been so honest to observe.
💫Hope 💫
Had to listen to this twice
"We find meaning objectively". That is why it becomes problematic when society gets chaotic.
Yes I 👍 agree
Bravo! Jonathan Roumie
Good broadcast Bishop & good topic. I personally believe that If we knew the meaning of life; Life would cease to have meaning & purpose?? It is not knowing that gets us out of bed in the morning? Taking this a stage further. The Christian Church preaches a message of Eternal Life? However, do we truly want to know what happens when we die???
Is there a particular Dietrich von Hildebrand book you would recommend on this topic Bishop? Thanks!
re Iris Murdoch's kestrel, read Gerard Manley Hopkins' 'The Windhover'. Brilliant poem by a brilliant poet - who happened to be priest.
Good morning.The transcandental relationship 9on my birthday is a great preasent.
Let go and let GOD❤️
Thank you Bishop Barron and Brandon. I appreciated Jake's question at the end. I am still a little confused. Can you further clarify, maybe by discussing how your response relates to our ability to commit mortal sin. If 'apparently good' means that I think something is good to do (even if, objectively, it is wicked), then it seems like I can't commit a mortal sin since that would require full knowledge.
Or does 'apparently good' just mean something like that the thing they are after is somehow related to some sort of legitimate good, but situationally it is being sought in a selfish or improper way? So we could knowingly seek some good in the wrong way, thereby committing a mortal sin. If this is the proper interpretation, then is the 'hope' you speak of not so much in the hope that they were intellectually mistaken (which interpretation 1 would make seem) but that their misguided will could be brought back in line through some experience of mercy? Thank you.
Hi Tom. I think the key is the word “perversion” of the good. A perverted version of the good is objectively evil but to the person who commits it , it is extracting something “good” to him, E.g., hitler truly believed he would make the world better, or ppl sleeping around to seek the goodness from pleasure.
Hope this helps.
@@SowerOfMustardSeed Thanks Silvester, I think I follow and am with you to a certain degree. I would agree that a wicked act is seeking a perverse good...like the pleasure of sex is a legitimate good that one seeks as they sleep around, but situationally it's perverse because they seek it selfishly/improperly. Perversion is a good term to capture that. But I don't think it can be true that when we commit a wicked act we are necessarily doing so because we mistakenly believe the act is good. We must believe that the thing we're after is a good, but we may be aware that situationally we are seeking it in the wrong way.
So it must be the case that what Hitler desired was in some way related to a legitimate good, though clearly it was a perversion of a good. But it may or may not be the case that he truly believed it would make the world better. He may have been aware that he was seeking it selfishly or improperly, only God knows.
So I think the term "good" is being used in two different ways. The will must seek after a "good", but it is not the case that we necessarily always do something because we think it is "good to do", the right thing situationally. If this is not the case, then I am confused because it seems it would be impossible to commit a mortal sin.
When i'm tired i only try to breathe . Friendship i LOVE talk if i breathe as well normally strange
Bishop Barron: your talks ( HOLY TALKS!), Have really changed My life. Each tome I think THIS WAS HIS BEST!; I THEN THINK, NO, THIS WAS BESTEST! I Worry about Confesión & Mass and Covit, and You make me think and FEEL a better ( por worse) Catholics.
But You speak of Beauty, and I relate it to my spiritual life.I bought Newman, and I on My way yo Aquinas; But: I HATE SPORTS! Nevera read about them, turn TV off on them, agree that soccer is 22 millonarios pursuing a ball of leather..It's there hope for me? DO THEY PLAY BASEBALL in heaven?
It's " the way" to be followed.
Brandon, could you recomend soem of the movies you talked about for kids? maybe also some great books for kids age 8 -2 Congrats I am on my 6 grand child.
I ever LOVE to live with Jesús Christ wherever i'm
Family is a great good. But it can be very insular.
Why has CZcams ? Stopped Sharing the Date of Videos ?
My first thought when I heard the listener question was about Tamar who is in the genealogy of Christ. Her actions were in direct violation of God's law, even though she had a worthy goal.
Can’t wait!
The Traditional Latin Mass is the main thing that makes life meaningful for me. Thanks God for it!
Will the good of another!
But, Bishop Barron, if the motivation for someone doing evil is apparently good it would imply "no struggling with the conscience" and deep down it always surges...
It's maintained that's the conscience is already incapable of distinguishing good from evil. The flawed conscience seeks the "seemingly" good which in reality is evil.
🙏🏻❤️
❤️
❤️
Hi, Is there anyway that I can speak to Bishop Barron personally
I am posting on the website because it seems like someone will answer. Why won't a convent answer my letters and email about discernment questions? They are quite a distance away so I can't really just stop in. Thank you for any answers.
I was also interested in the subject of discernment. I was referred to writings on the topic by Ignatius of Loyola. You can find his principles of discernment through an internet word search. He speaks about quieting the mind to get in touch with the movement of the soul. To know if that movement is coming from love, from God or from evil. Reading Ignatius helped me to practice discernment. I pray that you find the resources that will help you.
@@johnclark1371 Are you going to become a priest? I hope so. I googled it and what he is talking about has occurred. I have made mistakes throughout this process. God's Love has called me. A priest told me one time that I have to make an effort. God can't do it all lol. The priest was talking about a different scenario. I have been applying it to this though. I am making attempts to answer where He wants me to go. Thank you so much for replying to this. How long have you been discerning? It does take around two years. I was going one direction and thinking about the other types of convents. And well, the other types was the right one all along. The more I get to know myself the more I realize that hey "God was right." Go figure lol. I'll pray for you too that your practicing of discernment goes well.
@@catholicquestions1569 I’m really glad you found Ignatius helpful. I’ve been practicing his rules for discernment for about one year. I’ve incorporated praying the rosary into this practice. I find it to be a valuable period of meditation and reflection. Bishop Barron has a series of videos on praying the rosary, which are excellent. If I can still my mind, I can better recognize the movements of the soul that Ignatius writes about. Often throughout the day, I’ll say a prayer to help me to fix my mind on discerning God’s will. I’m not a priest. I’m blessed with a wife and family, which I believe was God’s direction for my life. I will keep you in my prayers. God bless you in all that you do.