Jan. 25, 2018: Conversion of St. Paul
Jan. 25, 2018: Conversion of St. Paul
How many of us struggle with thoughts such as:
"I deserve this..."
"I have to have that..."
"My life could be better only if so-and-so will change, or when get what I need."
Too easily, we let ourselves obsess about an unattainable horizon of perfection, an idea we create by cobbling together all the "greatest hits" of things we see in others. As we do so, we implicitly tell God (and ourselves) that what we have is simply not enough. We misunderstand the value of our present state, and in turn, we fail to see the goodness of the process by which God is leading us into the future.
In prayer, we must work to recognize that a loving master sculptor has crafted each human person uniquely. By design, no two works of this sculptor are ever the same. A better starting point for reflection can be asked by this question: "How can I best reflect the genius of the sculptor and thereby shine the splendor of God into the hearts of all those who come into my life?"
Our fundamental goodness does not come from ourselves, from what we do or gain. It comes from a more basic source--from who we are, from whom we came, and to whom we can freely give glory by the way we live our lives.
The frenzied pursuit of riches and embellishments often leads us to ignore the original goodness of the sculpture itself. The race to look the best and be the most impressive has put us in opposition with one another, which leads us to division, competition, and eventually deep sadness. We are inherently unhappy with ourselves and are so often unable to believe we are beautiful, lovable, or good unless we have such-and-such and have it better than so-and-so.
Take a moment to ponder an important possibility: it could be the case that each of us is in just the right place--right here, right now, as we are. We easily miss the fact that in this place, the present moment, we can really and creatively encounter God. If God wants to encounter us here and now, he wants to take us somewhere even more beautiful. Without considering this possibility, we will always miss the joy of being in harmony with God in the present, our hands in his as he guides the process of refining and perfecting.
In prayer we should simply acknowledge God's identity, our own identity, and our respective roles. We strive to recognize and acknowledge the real relationship we have with God. God is God, the source of being, the Creator of all things, the Divine Artist. We are the work of his hands, a creation of love meant to become constantly more wonderful because of love, through love, and in love.
Whenever we forget this, we inevitably return to our tiny kingdoms, impossible to maintain. When we remember it, we unite ourselves within to the genius of God. In such union we come before the fount of true peace. God brings order and works masterful harmony as true King and Lord.
-Fr. John Burns, "Lift Up Your Heart: A 10-Day Personal Retreat With St. Francis de Sales"
How many of us struggle with thoughts such as:"I deserve this..."
"I have to have that..."
"My life could be better only if so-and-so will change, or when get what I need."
Too easily, we let ourselves obsess about an unattainable horizon of perfection, an idea we create by cobbling together all the "greatest hits" of things we see in others. As we do so, we implicitly tell God (and ourselves) that what we have is simply not enough. We misunderstand the value of our present state, and in turn, we fail to see the goodness of the process by which God is leading us into the future.
In prayer, we must work to recognize that a loving master sculptor has crafted each human person uniquely. By design, no two works of this sculptor are ever the same. A better starting point for reflection can be asked by this question: "How can I best reflect the genius of the sculptor and thereby shine the splendor of God into the hearts of all those who come into my life?"
Our fundamental goodness does not come from ourselves, from what we do or gain. It comes from a more basic source--from who we are, from whom we came, and to whom we can freely give glory by the way we live our lives.
The frenzied pursuit of riches and embellishments often leads us to ignore the original goodness of the sculpture itself. The race to look the best and be the most impressive has put us in opposition with one another, which leads us to division, competition, and eventually deep sadness. We are inherently unhappy with ourselves and are so often unable to believe we are beautiful, lovable, or good unless we have such-and-such and have it better than so-and-so.
Take a moment to ponder an important possibility: it could be the case that each of us is in just the right place--right here, right now, as we are. We easily miss the fact that in this place, the present moment, we can really and creatively encounter God. If God wants to encounter us here and now, he wants to take us somewhere even more beautiful. Without considering this possibility, we will always miss the joy of being in harmony with God in the present, our hands in his as he guides the process of refining and perfecting.
In prayer we should simply acknowledge God's identity, our own identity, and our respective roles. We strive to recognize and acknowledge the real relationship we have with God. God is God, the source of being, the Creator of all things, the Divine Artist. We are the work of his hands, a creation of love meant to become constantly more wonderful because of love, through love, and in love.
Whenever we forget this, we inevitably return to our tiny kingdoms, impossible to maintain. When we remember it, we unite ourselves within to the genius of God. In such union we come before the fount of true peace. God brings order and works masterful harmony as true King and Lord.
-Fr. John Burns, "Lift Up Your Heart: A 10-Day Personal Retreat With St. Francis de Sales"
