This is a great reflection for a Monday morning, from the Ironic Catholic, Theological Rant 1.0: Will You Just Let Me Be Religious Already?. To whet your appetite, it begins: "Excuse me, I know you're just trying to live your life and be sensitive and thoughtful and all, but will you just let me be religious already?"Indeed, as the Ironic Catholic insists, "heroic virtue is worth striving for." To that end I turn to a person who also thought a life of holiness was the only life worth living, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa's motto, the cornerstone of her order, are Jesus' words from the Cross "I thirst" (Jn. 19,28). What Jesus thirsts for, according to this holy woman, is us, for you and me, for all humanity. So, it must be our task "to quench the infinite thirst of a God made man." Mother Teresa also manages to encapsulate something that has been pointed out in these pages many times before, it is drawn from the wisdom of others and my own, admittedly limited, experience: "Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you - you can't begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him" (Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light pgs. 41-42). In the end the ones who will be filled are those "who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matt. 5,6). To that end, in a turn of phrase worthy of Jude Simpson, with the I.C. "I want beatitudes, not platitudes."
I didn't know a rant could be a reflection, but thanks! ;)
ReplyDeleteLet's say its a rant that turned into a reflection due to the fact I am reading Come Be my Light before I go to bed. I read what I wrote about hungering and thirsting for righteousness just before going to sleep last night and what you wrote kind of resonated with what was already on my mind.
ReplyDeleteAh.
ReplyDeleteI love your reflection, by the way.
Have you finished Mother Teresa's book? How is it?
Me, I've been grading papers. But I want to read it....
No, I am just starting it. So far, it is really fabulous. It'll be a slow, slow read because I it is my spiritual reading, which I do before turning off the light and going to sleep. So, a page or two a day is about the pace. Or, like last night, a page, which set me off on prayer.
ReplyDeleteI was talking to one of my former professors at Church on Sunday, he said he was torturing his students for one more week before their papers were due. I added, then it was their turn to torture him. Enjoy your penance!
I love the Ironic Catholic and was especially delighted by her post yesterday. I found you through her. Nice one today. I'll be back.
ReplyDeleteJenny:
ReplyDeleteThanks. I hope you find whatever time you spend reading here profitable