Where 'directions' may lead.
Bishop Fulton Sheen, a well-known American preacher, once recounted that when he was invited to a conference or lecture in a town unknown to him, he got lost. As a result, he encountered a teenage boy with whom he struck up an interesting conversation.
The bishop asked the boy for directions to the nearest hotel. Instead of answering, the boy asked a question himself, wanting to know who the unfamiliar traveler was. In response, he heard, "I am a Catholic bishop."
Since this description was unclear to the boy, he boldly asked further, "But what do you do, what is your occupation?" The bishop, surprised by the question, replied after a moment, "I show people the way to heaven." To which the boy responded:
"Pfft... You don't know the way to the hotel, yet you want to show the way to heaven?!"
Spiritual guidance is a concept that goes beyond the traditional understanding of a leader (priest, mother, father, teacher, etc.) as someone who possesses all the answers. Instead, it is a dynamic relationship between the guide and the person being guided, based on mutual respect, openness, and a shared journey toward a deeper understanding of oneself and the world around us.
"We should learn to listen to each other because every person has their experiences that can enrich us."
St. Vincent de Paul
