98. Go!

The strategy board game Go has been played in Asia since its invention in China nearly 2,500 years ago. One player places black stones on the board and the other player places white. Each player alternates making a move with the aim of surrounding the opponent’s stones, thereby capturing territory. The point of the game is to capture more territory on the board than one’s opponent through the strategic placement of stones.

Every day, think tactically. Maintain prayerful watchfulness in every situation. Take each difficulty, each challenge – that is, each battle – you encounter one by one. Do not be near-sighted, irrational, or driven by passion, but consistently make good, virtuous, God-pleasing decisions.

At the same time, approach life strategically. Keep in mind the end goal of the overall war against sin, death, and the powers of evil: Salvation.

Consult the Holy Scriptures, which reveal God’s work in human history from the beginning of time to now, as God continues to work through His Church to bring salvation to the world, and continuing on until the end of time, when the work of salvation in the world is complete. Since God is outside of time and space (even while working within time and space) and sees all time from the beginning to the end at once, the Divine Strategy has already secured the ultimate triumph against sin, death, the powers of evil. Keep in mind both the Alpha, the beginning, and the Omega, the end. Study the writings of the Saints and accounts of their lives to see how they proved victorious.

Regarding the nurturing of children, keep the strategic goal of their salvation in mind. Train each of them to live the Way that will enable them to reach their potential and fulfill their purpose. In your parish, under the guidance of your Priest, work in concert with your fellow believers to minister within the Church and carry out the Great Commission to effectively evangelize and catechize as many people as possible in your city, your country, and the world. Cast out the net of the Gospel widely to effectively draw people into the Church and to expand the territory and influence of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Bring yourself into the stream of the Divine Strategy, the Way of victory, and conduct yourself daily according to the overall strategy.

Read: Colossians 1.13