This will be my final blog for the World Race. I’m hoping to put together a personal blog page soon. If you’ve enjoyed reading my blogs and don’t know me personally, feel free to find me on Facebook or Instagram under “Theophilus Donoghue” to stay in touch. As a concluding blog, I simply want to share some final thoughts:
A reoccurring theme for many of my friends who I was traveling with throughout the World Race was that of spiritual growth. However, when I look back upon this past year, I honestly don’t think I grew much at all. I felt a great deal of intimacy with God before, during, and after the trip, and it doesn’t seem to have altered much through the experience. In Chicago, for most of the past 9 years, I’ve been volunteering in juvenile prisons 2-3 times per week, visiting and praying with the sick and physically injured each week at a local hospital, and taking care of a hospice patient weekly. I actually found the trip to be a bit of a relief from the service work I’ve been doing in Chicago. I definitely grew as a person through observing life in so many different cultures and I read a lot of stimulating classic literature throughout the trip, but I don’t feel in any way altered spiritually.
That being said, the reason I don’t care about this lack of spiritual growth is because I don’t see Jesus ever placing an emphasis upon it. When I read Jesus’ words, I see a charge to go out, share his teachings of love and forgiveness, and help others. I don’t see Christ overemphasizing the importance of having new revelations or evolving spiritually. Before I started following Jesus, all of my focus was upon myself. As an adherent to the New Age and Eastern philosophy, my world centered upon my spiritual growth and “self-realization” or enlightenment. My goal was to become the most peaceful, loving, pure person, but it was ultimately all about me. Upon closer reflection, there was even a tinge of seeking power in it. I wanted to be superior to others spiritually. When Jesus entered my life, this self-centered spiritual perspective radically shifted from being focused on my growth to simply wanting to help others. I saw Jesus as my teacher and only sought to follow his instructions. In Matthew 25, Jesus states, “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” This passage became the primary focus of my spiritual path. It took me from a self-centered spirituality to an other-centered one in which I was seeking to help God help others rather than solely seeking to have God help me. When I look at Jesus’ teachings, this seems to be what it’s about: a call to not focus on oneself but rather upon those who are desperately in need of help and comfort. As Jesus states in Matthew 20:28, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” So much of mainstream spirituality focuses upon exalting oneself and evolving spiritually, but this is the reverse of what Christ taught and exemplified. In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul states, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” In essence, this states that Jesus came in the form of God, but instead of demanding that his divinity be respected like a worldly king, Christ became a servant; he didn’t exalt himself but rather lowered himself. This is the path and there are revelations and insights along the way, but these epiphanies we have on our journey are inconsequential in comparison with simply following the words and instructions of our Redeemer.
As a closing note, if you’re under 35 and an agnostic or atheist, I encourage you to get over it, give your life to Jesus, and do this trip! I can’t think of anything like it. It was definitely the most culturally-enriching year of my life! There is no more rewarding way to see the world than through helping those in need in each country you visit. Thank you, everyone who read my blogs throughout this past year, for being a part of my journey! Love to you all!
