Desires, Wishes, and Dreams: Desire to be with Christ

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Desire to be with Christ

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two.

My desire is to depart and be with Christ,

for that is far better.

But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. -- Philippians 1:21-26

No one will have any other desire in heaven than what God wills; and the desire of one will be the desire of all; and the desire of all and of each one will also be the desire of God. -- St Anselm

Wake Up Call

We often say to ourselves that we also desire to purchase holy love, the most valuable of all treasures, and the summit of dignity and happiness.

But these desires are fruitless and mere mockery unless we earnestly set about the means.

We must first, with the apostle, leave all things; that is to say, we must sincerely and in spirit forsake the world (though we live in it), and must also renounce and die to ourselves before we can be admitted to the familiar converse of our Redeemer and God, or before he opens to us the treasure of his choicest graces.

In the same proportion that the world and self-love are banished from our hearts shall we advance in divine love.

But this great virtue is learned, exercised, and improved by conversing much with God in holy meditation, reading, and assiduous prayer and recollection; also by its external acts, in all manner of good works, especially those of fraternal charity and spiritual mercy.

Wisdom from Saints

I no longer desire to live a purely human life. Make this your choice if you yourselves would be chosen. -- St. Ignatius of Antioch

Lord, what will Thou have me to do? Here is the true token of a soul absolutely perfect: when one has succeeded in leaving behind his own will to such a degree as no longer to seek, to aim, or to desire to do what he would will, but only what God wills. -- St Bernard

Since all things lie open to His eyes and ears, let us hold Him in awe and rid ourselves of impure desires to do works of evil, so that we may be protected by His mercy from the judgement that is to come. Which of us can escape His mighty hand? -- St. Clement

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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Desire to be with Christ