(Wisdom 13:1-9, Psalm 19: 2-3, 4-5AB; Luke 17:26-37)
God so lavishes us with his beauty upon this earth. How many times have we experienced bliss as we took a stroll in nature, tranquility in an ocean side walk, serenity at a sunset or even interior reverence as we gaze upon the masterpiece of an artist, hear the work of a great musician or read the works of a gifted writer? Yet, these are only a small glimmers of the beauty God has to offer, meagre dim reflections of his true magnificence.
Countless times I have heard individuals tell me they find God in such beauty and this type of spirituality is enough for them – they do not need the Church. They are content with such offerings, yet, they miss out on the deeper gifts God offers us – real union, real relationship that eventually calls us to be of service to others, offering others the love of our Father so that they too can seek union with Him as well.
It is inside his Church, the bride of Christ, where we receive the Sacraments, where we hear the Word, where we enjoy community with other believers and where we are shown how to develop a deeper relationship with God. Let us not sell ourselves short, let’s not give way to the world with all it’s trappings and limitations – even the lovely ones. The confused individuals, God’s lost people, mentioned in today’s first reading or those Jesus spoke of in today’s Gospel suffer the greatest pain of all – separation from God for all eternity because they remained in the world. They mistook the glimmers of the world for the ultimate beauty of God and in doing so they lost the greatest gift ever offered to them – relationship with our Savior.
So where does this leave us as believers and how can we more fully unite our hearts with the heart of God? Before I attempt to answer this I have a question for you to ponder. How many times have you experienced tenderness of heart during prayer, Mass or Adoration resulting in sighs or tears? How many times have you spoke of the beauty of Jesus with a dear friend and experienced elation in your heart? How many times have you thanked God for all the goodness he has bestowed upon you and felt intense gratitude in your heart? I imagine you have experienced such encounters countless times – God gives all of this to us freely in much the same manner he gives us other beauties to enjoy. However, delights such as these are but a foretaste of the vastness he offers us as well.
All too often we remain satisfied here, with the little delights and this is a great loss. If we are content here then what happens when a test comes? When we are faced with the “vultures” of anger, resentment, betrayal, fear, jealousy, or perhaps envy? Where does our bliss go if we settle for such little gifts? It succumbs to the world my friends and we miss out on experiencing the fullness God offers us.
Now, most importantly, how can we ascend beyond getting stuck and only enjoying these little pleasures. How do we enjoy more of what God has for us? Saint Francis de Sales in his book “Introduction To The Devout Life” offers us a beautiful way in which to pray and grow closer to God – I highly recommend you get a copy for yourself if you can. De Sales teaches his students many things and I will share a few high points that have touched my heart regarding prayer.
- Be ever mindful that God especially loves it when we pray when we are “not in the mood” so to speak. This shows him our devotion. It is especially beneficial to pray during times of spiritual dryness.
- Mental prayer, prayer of the heart, is extremely beneficial for our soul. This is done by placing ourselves in God’s presence and invoking his assistance. You can also do this by using your imagination to see our Savior – I find this exceptionally beautiful when I pray the Rosary.
- Meditating on scripture that reveals the life and death of our Savior is extremely beneficial for our soul’s growth. You may want to use your imagination so you can see our Savior as you meditate on scripture that reveals his life and death.
- After your prayer time resolve to take some of what you experienced with you into the world – that day. Perhaps write down some important points so you don’t forget them. This point is key, as it helps to move our experience from our head into our hearts.
As we grow in deeper union with God the tests that once pulled us away from God will begin to fail in their attempt to draw us into the world, rather, they will serve to more fully unite us with our Savior. We will seek to be of service so that the lost will come to know him and, hopefully with God’s assistance, we will desire to serve him 24/7!
Jesus – I love you!
