The Shallow Skipping Heart needs to Sink into God’s love

Last updated on: December 29, 2021 at 10:32 am by Sherry Antonetti

The Shallow Skipping Heart needs to Sink into God’s love 2021-12-29T10:32:36-05:00 Sherry Antonetti

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

**Cancer like any suffering, offers the opportunity to go “deeper and deeper in.” For me, I’ve found myself struggling with being unwilling to plunge. Skipping along the surface of my faith in prayer, in practice not because I do not believe, but because everything takes effort. The general fatigue that accompanies my treatment, enables the withdraw from service to seem reasonable, and that in turn allows the soul to presume as it rests, that it is somehow okay to become a still thing instead of an active soul. I noticed I spent more time alone, more time lying down, and my tastes for distraction became more external, less reflective and more impulsively needy. Not good for me or anyone else I love.

This past month, I read C.S. Lewis’ “The Last Battle,” with my youngest and was struck by the very active description of the “True Narnia” (heaven for those who have not read it). All the participants run, swim up a waterfall and even fly as they explore the ever inexhaustible wonder of seeing more and more each time they look. Conversely, in Dante’s Inferno, Satan is frozen, unable to generate warmth or light or connect with anything, let alone anyone. Satan remains forever stagnant, forever on the surface of an unbearable untouchable world. The soul is required to go out and bring Christ everywhere, that is each soul’s purpose –it is only a question of will to do and how. That is the great commissioning at the end of each mass.

This morning, I found it echoed in this lovely prayer/poem by Saint John of the Cross perfect for this season of Christmas, an invitation to each of us, to let Christmas break open in our souls.

If You Want

If
you want
the Virgin will come walking down the road
pregnant with the holy,
and say,
“I need shelter for the night, please take me inside your heart,
my time is so close.”

Then, under the roof of your soul, you will witness the sublime
intimacy, the divine, the Christ
taking birth
forever,

as she grasps your hand for help, for each of us
is the midwife of God, each of us.

Yet there, under the dome of your being does creation
come into existence eternally, through your womb, dear pilgrim—
the sacred womb in your soul,

as God grasps our arms for help; for each of us is
His beloved servant
never far.

If you want, the Virgin will come walking
down the street pregnant
with Light
and sing

–St. John of the Cross (1542 – 14 December 1591).

Therefore I know the surface dwelling is unhealthy for my soul. It will take willful action to fight it. Not because I have to be doing everything, but I do need to be not choosing to do nothing.

Saint Martha struggled with using busyness as a justification. I’ve done that, I’m very good at that, it was my default mode for many years. Now, I find, I was using sickness the same way. Neither was choosing the better part. Both were just allowing the self to take ascendancy, both justified themselves –one by I’ve done all this, so here is my proof, and one by I’m sick, so I can’t.

Jesus asks those He heals if they want to be made well. It seems a strange question, but it isn’t. If we’re made well, we must get up and get to the work for which we are called. The soul in that moment, recognizes, it is free to choose, but the choice will change life forever. It means surrendering the false security of being still or of being busy for something better. It means putting away childish distractions and getting up.

However it also means, you get to hear Mary sing, and there’s no faster way to Christmas than to listen to her voice.
Merry Christmas, the 5th day.

Previous Post

December 16, 2021

The Illusion of Permanent Pain

Next Post

January 6, 2022 500 Words

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Answered Prayers Blessed Mother Confirmation Devotion of the Sacred Heart Doctors of the Church Easter Family Humor family life Good Friday Growing up Healing Holy Spirit taps Lent Love in the little things Mary Undoer of Knots Not an Apologist Parenting Sacred Heart of Jesus Saint Therese of Lisieux Sin Small Success Saturday Teaching others and myself Uncategorized Waiting Writing Year of Saint Joseph

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz