The book is theological in nature but Lagrange is such a good writer that he makes the subjects accessible for the average Catholic as well. My favorite part about the book is that he provides a synthesis of my two favorite and most influential saints - St. John of the Cross and St. Thomas Aquinas.
The central question, at least at the beginning of the book, is one I really need to be kicking around in my own life, and Lagrange puts it very simply - can I love God too much?
This is a great question because many that I know, myself included, have the mindset that a person should love God at about 80% of full-throttle because if a person goes all out, they'll turn into a "crazy" or a "Jesus freak" or whatever phrase you want to use. We want the safety of Jesus and controlled normality. We are afraid that if we love God full-throttle we won't be able to talk to normal people, and I know I often rationalize my compromise by telling myself "I'll keep one foot here in the "real" world so that I can reach people" as if, in that decision, I am somehow doing God a favor.
The Gospel from Mass yesterday features the following line:
"For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit." RATION! What a perfect word for what I know I do all too often - I set the limits, I decide on what terms God will work in me and through me and I knew as soon as I read it yesterday that God was saying to me "STOP RATIONING! I am He who can not be rationed!"
St. Thomas and St. John of the Cross and yesterday's Gospel all serve as good reminders to us in the "normal" world that we CAN'T love God too much, and maybe for a person like me, who is pretty blessed, the true test of Faith isn't so much believing IN God but believing that giving God my all and surrendering will not make me weird.
Depends on the definition of weird or who is assessing the weirdness. In the eyes of the world, I just may be considered weird for having been open to the gift of life and having 16 pregnancies resulting in 4 miscarriages, 1 stillbirth and 11 surviving children. But I know that I am not weird in the Lord's eyes. And really, what God sees is the truth. Anyone else's perception really is of no consequence. So maybe the true test of faith is believing that He is the TRUTH and what He sees in us is what truly matters.
ReplyDeleteMichelle - totally agree. I have no problem being weird in the eyes of the world, nor should anyone trying to follow Christ. I was trying to get at the notion that we fear going "all in", and that we should never fear that! Thanks for your witness in being so open to life!
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