IN a certain sense, our earthly life
can be described as a
matter of emptying and filling. That is, emptying of our own selves,
our own egos, so we can be filled with God, with love, which is what
is proper to us.
In whatever we do, let’s see to it that this business of
emptying and filling is the underlying law and principle that is being
followed. Failing in that can only mean failing in our ultimate
purpose in life, no matter how successful we may appear to be in our
work or social and political life, and in the other aspects of life.
We need to adapt and develop the relevant attitude and
skills so we can turn this ideal into a working lifestyle. We should
not forget that Christ clearly said: ‘If anyone wishes to come after
Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mt
16,24) That, in a nutshell, is the biblical basis for this business of
emptying and filling.
Christ himself, our way, truth and life, lived this
principle perfectly by emptying himself so he can be filled with the
will of his Father.
St. Paul expressed this fact in this way: “Christ who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human
form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on
a cross.” (Phil 2,5-8)
Christ’s self-emptying cannot be overemphasized. Being the
son of God with whom nothing is impossible, he chose to be born poor
in a manger and led an austere life all throughout. Even in his
impressive moments of preaching and making miracles, he did not want
to be treated as a king or some kind of celebrity.
He preached about meekness and humility and lived what he
preached. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart,” he said.
(Mt 11,29) In the Last Supper, he shocked his apostles when he began
to wash their feet and insisted on doing so, despite the protestation
of Peter, to give an example for them to follow.
Then finally he allowed himself to go through his passion
and death on the cross, his supreme act of self-emptying that earned
the greatest gift for us—our own salvation, the return of God into our
lives—God from whom we come and to whom we belong.
We need to learn how to empty ourselves to fill ourselves
with God and with his love which is the only authentic love that we
can have. And this concern will be a never-ending affair in our whole
lifetime, because our heart will always be an arena of the lifelong
struggle between God and ourselves.
St. Augustine describes this phenomenon in this way: “Two
cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self,
even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to
the contempt of self.” (City of God, ch. 28)
We need to be clear about this distinction, and its
implications and ramifications, for many are now the circumstances
that can confuse us in this most delicate and important matter.
Is the love we are developing in ourselves the love of God
or our self-love? Sometimes the distinction between the two loves can
be tricky because we can often delude ourselves and cover ourselves
with all sorts of rationalizations and justifications.
Still we can manage to distinguish as long as we closely
monitor the course of our thoughts, desires, words and deeds through
regular examinations of conscience, frequent confessions, never-ending
process of conversion occasioned by a deep sense of humility.
To be sure, this self-emptying in order to be filled with
God’s love is not a matter of running away from our earthly affairs,
which will always be in need of material resources. It’s rather a
matter of making sure that our earthly and temporal affairs do not
convert into our end and god themselves, but rather as means to
develop our love for God, and with that love, also our love for
others.
Christ assures us that if we have the proper priorities in
life, everything will just be fine. “Seek first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness,” he said, “and all these things will be given to
you as well.” (Mt 6,33)
When we empty ourselves of our own ego, we get filled with
God and his love.
matter of emptying and filling. That is, emptying of our own selves,
our own egos, so we can be filled with God, with love, which is what
is proper to us.
In whatever we do, let’s see to it that this business of
emptying and filling is the underlying law and principle that is being
followed. Failing in that can only mean failing in our ultimate
purpose in life, no matter how successful we may appear to be in our
work or social and political life, and in the other aspects of life.
We need to adapt and develop the relevant attitude and
skills so we can turn this ideal into a working lifestyle. We should
not forget that Christ clearly said: ‘If anyone wishes to come after
Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mt
16,24) That, in a nutshell, is the biblical basis for this business of
emptying and filling.
Christ himself, our way, truth and life, lived this
principle perfectly by emptying himself so he can be filled with the
will of his Father.
St. Paul expressed this fact in this way: “Christ who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human
form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on
a cross.” (Phil 2,5-8)
Christ’s self-emptying cannot be overemphasized. Being the
son of God with whom nothing is impossible, he chose to be born poor
in a manger and led an austere life all throughout. Even in his
impressive moments of preaching and making miracles, he did not want
to be treated as a king or some kind of celebrity.
He preached about meekness and humility and lived what he
preached. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart,” he said.
(Mt 11,29) In the Last Supper, he shocked his apostles when he began
to wash their feet and insisted on doing so, despite the protestation
of Peter, to give an example for them to follow.
Then finally he allowed himself to go through his passion
and death on the cross, his supreme act of self-emptying that earned
the greatest gift for us—our own salvation, the return of God into our
lives—God from whom we come and to whom we belong.
We need to learn how to empty ourselves to fill ourselves
with God and with his love which is the only authentic love that we
can have. And this concern will be a never-ending affair in our whole
lifetime, because our heart will always be an arena of the lifelong
struggle between God and ourselves.
St. Augustine describes this phenomenon in this way: “Two
cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self,
even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to
the contempt of self.” (City of God, ch. 28)
We need to be clear about this distinction, and its
implications and ramifications, for many are now the circumstances
that can confuse us in this most delicate and important matter.
Is the love we are developing in ourselves the love of God
or our self-love? Sometimes the distinction between the two loves can
be tricky because we can often delude ourselves and cover ourselves
with all sorts of rationalizations and justifications.
Still we can manage to distinguish as long as we closely
monitor the course of our thoughts, desires, words and deeds through
regular examinations of conscience, frequent confessions, never-ending
process of conversion occasioned by a deep sense of humility.
To be sure, this self-emptying in order to be filled with
God’s love is not a matter of running away from our earthly affairs,
which will always be in need of material resources. It’s rather a
matter of making sure that our earthly and temporal affairs do not
convert into our end and god themselves, but rather as means to
develop our love for God, and with that love, also our love for
others.
Christ assures us that if we have the proper priorities in
life, everything will just be fine. “Seek first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness,” he said, “and all these things will be given to
you as well.” (Mt 6,33)
When we empty ourselves of our own ego, we get filled with
God and his love.
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