What am I waiting for?
What am I looking for?
In search of a true self and pondering the true meaning of our life, we are constantly yearning for something greater and deeper in our hearts.
Yearning leads us to be alive and to pursue something lofty, worthwhile and creative. God always sees our yearnings (longings) without judging people's limitations or appearances. Yearning lets us be dynamic and inspiring.
Yearning, hope and waiting are what Telemachus experienced in the wandering adventure story of the Odyssey. Using the story of Telemachus as inspiration, Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco, an Italian priest teaching Philosophy at Pontificia Universita Lateranense in Italy, presented "Telemachus."
Concentrating on the topics of a true self, true fatherhood and relationships, the book, "Telemachus," deals with the relationships between a son and a father in the context of biblical figures. Seven representative son figures are presented in the touching stories of Isaac and Abraham, Joseph and Jacob, Samuel and Eli, David the son and David the father, a rich young man, the prodigal son and the merciful father, and Jesus.
Each story touches on topics such as the uniqueness of Isaac, Joseph being favored, the enthusiasm and calling of Samuel, the heart of David, the decision of a rich young man, forgiving the prodigal son and the longing of Jesus.
Telemachus, meaning far from the battle or fighting from afar, appears as the son of Odysseus and Penelope in Homer's Odyssey. Telemachus was an infant when his father Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War. Telemachus lived nearly twenty years without the presence of his father. When Telemachus reached manhood, he went out in search of his wandering father after the Trojan War.
Standing by the seashore and looking forward beyond the horizon, Telemachus kept waiting for the return of his father. In the hope of his glorious and triumphant return, Telemachus gazed at the horizon.
Sometimes, we feel we have failed. In fact, we have experienced various obstacles and failures. This mental situation drives us to be desperate and hopeless and we often undergo a spiritual crisis.
While confronting a crisis, there is a whisper telling us never to give up. "Go on! Go straight forward!" Such an inner voice whispers to us that it is worth waiting for the true life, no matter how hopeless it looks and how miserable it may be. Something good is always hidden in the midst of a crisis.
Fatherhood is also undergoing a crisis nowadays. Some people forget that a father is a person who is fundamental for us to be born into the world. Fathers always cheer and encourage their children so that they can, one day, leave the nest and make decisions proactively. A father is a person who lets us choose something by ourselves and lets us be responsible for life given.
As Telemachus kept waiting for the presence of his father, we also have some kind of unbeatable longing deep in our hearts. Thanks to the inner yearning, we constantly want to be connected with somebody and to belong to a community
Despite the criticism of the people around him, Telemachus never gave up and kept waiting for a true life filled with meaningful encounters and relationships. So do we.
To look for a greater thing
I should go.
I have to go.
Shaking off everything
I should leave
To look for a greater thing
The author (mtorchid88@gmail.com) is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (fsp.pauline.or.kr.) living and giving the Good News to the world by means of social communication.