Fidelity in a Challenging World: Self-emptying
What if I come from a place of disillusionment?
When I realize that my value is still based on worldly outputs and expectations..branded objects, sales and profits... Life is ruled by gain (sadly) even at the expense of other people.
Welcome to the rat race!
The short retreat we had was an invitation to reflect on our own eclipses...
The Recollection master, Fr. Bob Buenconsejo, SJ highlighted the three important figures of Advent through a Deisis triptych: St. John the Baptist, our Blessed Mother Mary and Jesus.
I was particularly struck by St. John the Baptist's experience of incompleteness...restlessness...his humility. He was cut off almost immediately from his ministry when Jesus came.
What if losing is the way to gain?
It hit me deep even if I already knew from studying Theology, why people ignore the Person Who gave Himself up on the cross.
He must increase, I must decrease (John 3:30).
That just seems so irrational...
The fear comes from displacing ourselves from the center to the periphery.
When we put something out there freely... We almost immediately feel empty-handed. When in fact, the reservoir is abundant but we fail to be creative. God has already equipped us with everything but we mock the talents given us. How do we grow our resources?
We always put ourselves at the center because we want to do things on our own (alone).
The Feast of Christ the King invites us to create a sacred space of silence (in imitation of the Blessed Mother Who pondered things in Her heart) and asks us who reign in our lives? What dominates our being?
From Mama Mary, we learn to receive... and then give. The kind of giving that knows sacrifice and total surrender... not the giving that comes from abundance...
We are not confronted by a tyranny of choice. It's a simple invitation to receive God's grace.
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Supplemental readings:
He must increase, but I must decrease by Jon Bloom
Image source: Catholic Link 🔗
"He must increase and I must decrease."
ReplyDeletePeople can be so afraid to let go, realizing (should be with a sigh of relief) that they are not the center of the universe. God is, and that's a fact we should all embrace.
Sure have missed you, Melissa! Blessings to you, my friend, and hope to hear more from you soon.