Are you passionately, positively in love with God? Do you lovingly think of Him as much as you think of your beloved? Does your heart "skip a beat" when you see Him in the Holy Eucharist? Or in the beauty of a rain drop? Or when you see a red leaf gently dancing in the air as it falls? Or when you feel a nice breeze on a hot summer day? Ahhh... to be in love...!
"I can never know God until I'm held so close to him that there is nothing in between." Julian of Norwich
Think of this, courtesy of Steve Bogner's blog...
"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything."
Pedro Arrupe, SJ
Technorati Tags: Living in the presence of God
Thank you. Much food for thought. I just wanted to share that what drew me to the Catholic Church was being pierced by the reality of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
My heart broke when I realized that the tradition I was in did not profess this and the communion offered there was a pale shadow. And it happened during a discussion with a high-ranking clergyman in my former church. We were relaying altar guild stories and he laughed at the foolishness of some ladies who were mortified at dropping consecrated bread. He said, "For goodness sakes, she didn't drop Jesus!" While everyone around laughed also, I burst into tears.
So, my family and I ended up the following week at our nearby parish. It was such an overwhelming relief to be there and not be the odd one that truly believed in the Real Presence. I embarrass my children, I know, when I weep at communion. But they're tears of joy and gratitude.
Posted by: Argent | January 05, 2006 at 08:17 AM
Thank you so much for this very lovely post. Yes...I am in love with God...but like all great loves, the 'batteries' need to be re-charged once in a while...we get too used to all the marvels and can take them for granted.
Posted by: Essy | January 05, 2006 at 09:17 AM
Oh yes! I am so in love with Him as the Bridegroom and find that as the days progress, I long for His presence more and more!
I love the quote above ... "I can never know God until I'm held so close to him that there is nothing in between." Julian of Norwich
Every blessing on your day!!!
Posted by: Carolyn | January 05, 2006 at 11:31 AM
I think how much we love God rests with how much we listen to Him compared to how much we talk....
Just my thoughts...
Peace of Christ to ALL
Marie
Posted by: | January 06, 2006 at 03:12 AM
Argent thanks for sharing so deeply. Essy, Marie, and Carolyn, thanks for your comments. It is obvious that you are in love with Him. Judging from Carolyn's blog name, there's no question... :) I really like this bride-groom analogy. To Marie's point, in any love relationship how much and how well we listen has a lot to do with how well we love...
Posted by: Hector | January 06, 2006 at 05:27 AM
I have that deep love that you've discussed here. I'm so glad that He, too, loves deeply.
Posted by: Lisa | January 06, 2006 at 09:09 AM
Amen Hector:)
I was remembering back to when I first became a Christian and didn't know to pray to this Awesome and Majestic God. For the first few years my prayers consisted of me doing basically a 'shopping list' which was kinda empty way of praying.
Then when I was struck down with this illness I found myself bed ridden for 2 years....God was MY only consolation and I learnt through that to LISTEN to that still small voice that comforted me. The strange thing is I had limited concentration levels in that I could not keep up with peoples conversations.
But I never lost the ability to pray....God is Awesome!
AMEN Hector once again a challenging topic...Love this blog...
Goodnight ALL
Peace to you
Marie
Posted by: | January 08, 2006 at 07:20 AM
Marie, thaks for sharing. Ho interesting that you didn't have any problems conversing with God. I can be as simple as "Jesus" sometimes I just repeat His holy name as prayer...
Posted by: Hector | January 08, 2006 at 11:09 AM