Saturday, April 25, 2009

"No creature can content itself"

In looking for models to imitate in trying to live Christian life day-by-day, I've always admired the saints who had a "more with less" approach, that is, they chose to leave behind stability, comfort, physical or emotional support, so that they could have more of the Lord in their lives. My thinking was that even if I could only make small, insignificant offerings to God, it would reduce some of the crowding inside of me and create more room for God's presence.

But with stress in my life growing and Lent over, this week I gave myself a bit of a reprieve, just to cope, I thought.

Then I read Friday's commentary on the readings in Magnificat:

"No creature can content itself. Our only hope of genuine fulfillment is for us to take that risk and recognize that our joy is outside ourselves. And that is to hunger." It goes on to say that the emptiness that comes from poverty and meekness teaches us to long for what we ultimately desire...and it teaches us how to wait.

So if we can empty ourselves in our search for God, He will increase our desire for Him infinitely, stretching our lives to the limit.