I’ll never forget the day I realized that the word “good” can have two vastly different meanings, depending on who you ask. It was a simple conversation with a customer at a wine store, but it sparked a profound reflection that has stayed with me to this day.
As a wine manager at the time, my main responsibility was to teach the salespeople how to sell wine that would yield the highest margin of profit for our company. It was a fun challenge, and we were successful in many cases. However, I began to realize that our approach was not always in line with what was truly good for the customer.
The customer asked me to recommend a wine for $10. A common question, I thought, and I responded with the usual question: “What type of wine do you like?” But this time, something shifted. As I responded, I realized that I had inadvertently changed the conversation from a question of goodness to one of pleasure. The customer’s response, “Wine X is really good,” confirmed my suspicion. She was talking about a good wine, not a wine that was good for her.
I was stunned because I knew the winemaker, the terroir, and the subpar winemaking processes involved in producing that wine. It was not a good wine. But for her, it was exactly that – good. This realization hit me immediately. We were using the word “good” in two different ways. For her, it meant something pleasurable, while for me, it meant something more objective, perhaps even better.
This encounter made me think about how often I had chosen to pursue what I thought was good for me, only to discover that it was simply pleasurable. I thought about the times I had forsaken the task of determining what was truly good for me or others in favor of something more enjoyable. It was a painful realization, but it was also liberating.
But what about those who know the entire invisible background of our choices? I thought about parents who see their children’s decisions and try to discern the objectivity of those choices. Knowing more about the story behind their children’s desires, they can offer a deeper understanding and support. And then I thought about God, who knows the entire story of our lives and invites us to live a good life – but never forces us.
As I reflected on this, I realized that the customer’s question was not abnormal. People often ask for wine recommendations based on how it tastes, rather than its quality or value. But that day, something shifted. I realized that I didn’t always know what was good for me. And that’s why I needed the Church – to illuminate my choices with the light of Jesus Christ.
Today, as I prepare to become a priest, people often ask me about my “vocation story.” I usually talk about intense moments of prayer or times when I heard Jesus’ voice. But that encounter with the customer remains a pivotal moment on my path toward serving the Church joyfully.
Rediscovering the Meaning of “Good”
- The customer’s question was not abnormal, but it sparked a profound reflection that has stayed with me to this day.
- The encounter made me think about how often I had chosen to pursue what I thought was good for me, only to discover that it was simply pleasurable.
- God knows the entire story of our lives and invites us to live a good life – but never forces us.
The Church Illuminates Our Choices
- The Church was established to impart divine truth for our moral lives.
- The Church has always had problems because it is human, yet it still imparts divine truth because of its divine founder.
- Jesus gave us an institution that illuminates our choices with the light of Jesus Christ.
A New Perspective on “Good”
| Pleasurable vs. Objective | Wine X (customer’s perspective) vs. Wine Y ( priest’s perspective) |
| Customer’s perspective: Wine X is good because it tastes good. | Priest’s perspective: Wine X is good because it has a high quality and value. |
Living a Life of Joyful Serving
“For you formed my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
As I prepare to become a priest, I am reminded of the importance of living a life that is guided by the light of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for that encounter with the customer, which sparked a profound reflection that has stayed with me to this day. May I continue to seek the truth and live a life that is guided by the principles of the Church.