July 14, 2011

• Thoughts from the Retreat, Part 2

  

  John 20:21-22- Trinity. Jesus invites the disciples into the Trinity, initiating it just as the Father “spoke” the Son (the Word) into being on the breath of the Holy Spirit. We live Trinitarian love among one another through forgiveness. 

   

  The resurrected Christ is not recognized because the glorified are not seen but known, as God “knew” Adam and Eve before the Fall, before they were “clothed” and became opaque. Notice in all the appearances of the Risen Lord it is when a meaningful memory of their past life with Christ is triggered (the call of Mary’s name, the celebration of the Eucharist, the showing of His wounds, etc.) that they realize who He is.

   

  In Christ’s baptism He makes Himself as much like we are as possible, identifying with us sinners though He is not a sinner Himself. With this the only difference between us is His sinless nature and our fallen one. But it is good, for from this height He is able to pour Himself into us as the Father–being higher than the Son by the Son’s humility and obedience–pours Himself into Christ.

   

  While in the chapel tonight I was sitting before the tabernacle talking to Jesus and during a quiet moment I thought of how much I would love to see Him. It then struck me that He promised if I asked anything in His name, He would do it. I had never before felt such an absolute conviction in my faith so powerful as this, and I realized that if I asked Him then and there, in His name, to show Himself He absolutely would; I had no doubts about this whatsoever.

  I was terrified and overwhelmed at how powerful I felt and thought, “Lord, you have given me so much power over you…I would so love to see you with these eyes, the same by which I look on others with so little love…but I am afraid…I don’t think I am ready to see you yet. I hope that someday I am and then it can be an invitation rather than a command.”

  My eyes were blurry with tears, but what a gift to be that much more in awe of God. Now only is He Almighty, but in the love of the Trinity which He extends to me, He gives me even a little power over Himself because His love for me compels Him to obey me; He does what I ask not because He must, but because He chooses to. I can hardly comprehend this kind of love.

  How terrifying and consoling and heart-achingly beautiful all at once!

  

  • 12:37 pm
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