God Has Need Of You!

by Fr. M. Raymond O.C.S.O.

Religion is no mere philosophy of life, no mere way of life, or simply an accessory to living. Religion is life, or it is not religion; and life is religious, or it is a mere sham. Once you follow that directive your invisible God becomes the all-pervading Obvious One, and His Christ who was "born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried", becomes your contemporary. Then your every footstep has meaning. Then your every moment is pregnant with purpose and merits eternity; then, though the heavens fall, the stars burn out, the seven seas dry up, you will not be moved; for already you will have shared in the eternal immutability of Him who is your life, and whose need you serve with all your living.

He, "very God of God", left footprints on the sands by the Sea of Tiberias again and again. Not only when He called Simon and Andrew, James and John; not only when He spoke to the multitude from Simon Peter’s boat; but even after He had risen from the dead. Yet, those footprints, made even by the glorified Christ, faded; and He was seen no more by friend or foe by those blue waters. Yet He said: "I am with you all days".

He had gone about doing good. Dust when touched by Him, and human spittle, took on divine power and was able to open eyes and unstop ears. The touch of His garment sent out virtue and cured the incurable. But the hands that had blessed little children, lifted the daughter of Jairus from her bed of death, multiplied loaves and fishes lest anyone faint on the way; those hands, stigmatised eternally with the signs of sin and salvation, were one day folded across a breast that was stilled in death. The eyes that had looked with love on the tears of Magdalene and had become wet with tears because of the blindness and lovelessness of Jerusalem, were sightless one Friday afternoon; for the Heart that had so often melted with pity for men had been pierced by men. Yet his God who died said: "I am with you all days".

Now how are those feet to leave footprints on other sands than those by the sea of Tiberias? How are those hands to lift dust from other country lanes and even from city streets that today's blind may see and today's deaf hear? How are modern Magdalens to win pardon before the eyes of today's cynical Scribes and sneering Pharisees? How are the poor in city slums to know that theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven? How are the hungry and thirsty of today to be filled, or the dying millions of your current civilisation to have life and have it in abundance, unless He who said "I am with you all days" keeps His promise? And how can He keep his promise except through you?

Taken from You, pg. 32.