Before you say, “Mike’s losing his mind”, hear me out. Yes, I’m rereading a book that captured my attention earlier in the summer (Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacques Philippe) and yes it has nearly every page folded over for later perusing.
With all of the books out there, choosing to re-read one that I just finished a few months ago?
Sure, why not? This book is in my Top Five and Fr. Philippe is a spiritual giant. It’s better than a new edition of Sports Illustrated or People. And, unlike many other spiritual writers, Fr. Philippe is brief. He gets to the point and that brings me to today’s reflection.
The book begins with a Bible passage and the admonition: “It is essential that we be persuaded by this truth.” The truth he is speaking of comes from a haunting passage from John 15:5 in which Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus doesn’t say that we can do most things apart from him. He doesn’t say that we can do some things apart from him.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Are you persuaded by this truth? Are you still clinging to the idea that you have some control? Until I read this little treatise, I was not convinced of my powerlessness or as St. Therese of Lisieux describes it, my ‘smallness’.
None of us chose our city of birth or our parents. None of us chose our skin tone or our IQ. None of us chose our race or ethnicity. We are utterly dependent on the Lord’s grace and mercy. We are not really in control and yet we spend so much time and money grasping for the next fix, solution or folly.
Today, embrace the truth of your dependence on God. Be persuaded by it.
With all of the books out there, choosing to re-read one that I just finished a few months ago?
Sure, why not? This book is in my Top Five and Fr. Philippe is a spiritual giant. It’s better than a new edition of Sports Illustrated or People. And, unlike many other spiritual writers, Fr. Philippe is brief. He gets to the point and that brings me to today’s reflection.
The book begins with a Bible passage and the admonition: “It is essential that we be persuaded by this truth.” The truth he is speaking of comes from a haunting passage from John 15:5 in which Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus doesn’t say that we can do most things apart from him. He doesn’t say that we can do some things apart from him.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Are you persuaded by this truth? Are you still clinging to the idea that you have some control? Until I read this little treatise, I was not convinced of my powerlessness or as St. Therese of Lisieux describes it, my ‘smallness’.
None of us chose our city of birth or our parents. None of us chose our skin tone or our IQ. None of us chose our race or ethnicity. We are utterly dependent on the Lord’s grace and mercy. We are not really in control and yet we spend so much time and money grasping for the next fix, solution or folly.
Today, embrace the truth of your dependence on God. Be persuaded by it.