When we think of the martyrs like Saint Valentine, what do we imagine? Probably the cruel scene of his death or the torture that he endured. This is an important part no doubt. It’s a sign of what he was willing to endure for his beliefs. But there’s a danger here: we might be forgetting what happened first.
You see, behind every martyrdom, there is a love story. Like our friend in this video, we all tend to be blind to God’s love. A martyr, however, is the one that stopped abruptly, and God happened to bump into the back of him. For the man who is suddenly struck in this way, nothing in his life will ever be the same. Once one’s eyes are opened to God’s love, nothing, absolutely nothing, seems too great a sacrifice if it allows us to give back just one drop of love.
Blind Devotion
Now, what about our day-to-day relationships with those around us? As the title says, love is best when it is blind. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges in our day is the fact that our culture as a whole seems to say the contrary: love needs to be seen, touched, photographed, shared, etc. And this isn’t completely false!
There’s a hint of something authentic here! How can we ever forget that first love poem in history when Adam saw for the first time Eve: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!”
Check out this link:
The problem with seeing though is that sometimes we forget that we have eyelids for a reason. Some things aren’t meant to be seen. Rather, let’s put that a different way: some things can only be seen with the eyelids closed. Sounds a bit paradoxical, I know, but that’s just the way it is.
So, let’s get to the point: we’ve lost touch with true intimacy. Intimacy comes from “intimare” (a wee bit of Latin never hurts) and originally meant: to allow something to enter inside. Today’s mentality insists that to get in, you’ve just got to knock the door down. This works excellently for robbing banks, but not so well when it comes to authentic relationships.
When it comes to people, the only way to “intimare” is to close your eyes. Overcome your egoistic curiosity and your desire to control. Learn to wait, to knock, and to trust. Break free of the illusion: tearing the veil back doesn’t get you what you are looking for! The veil simply invites you to discover a different kind of seeing, a seeing of the heart, which is the only kind that will ever show you what you most desire!
- 3 Christian Baseball Players In The MLB Right Now
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Several hours before the first pitch is thrown, players slowly trickle into a quiet stadium. As they enter the clubhouse, a few different activities have already begun. The equipment manager, or “clubbie,” is hanging jerseys. The trainer is loading ice into an occupied tub. Behind a window-paned office, the… Read more: 3 Christian Baseball Players In The MLB Right Now - The Solemnity Of The Ascension Of The Lord: Gospel Reflection
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly The eleven disciples went to Galilee,to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.Then Jesus approached and said to them,“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the… Read more: The Solemnity Of The Ascension Of The Lord: Gospel Reflection - Fatima: A Warning Or A Sign Of Hope?
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly God understands human history not only contextually, as we hope to do, but also in the fullness of time, which reflects His infinite intelligence. His capacity is beyond our understanding, and He intervenes in our lives and in history itself in such a way as to preserve our sacred… Read more: Fatima: A Warning Or A Sign Of Hope? - In A Spiritual Rut? Practical Steps For Getting Unstuck
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly How many of you are still keeping to your New Year’s resolutions? Unfortunately, these are, for many, already a distant and slightly embarrassing memory. Some of you may have even already fallen off the wagon for your Lenten practices. If you have, or you didn’t even choose a Lenten… Read more: In A Spiritual Rut? Practical Steps For Getting Unstuck - Relying On Our Own Strength Will Never Give Us The Grace We Truly Need
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly When God is our strength, it is strength indeed; when our strength is our own, it is only weakness.” — St. Augustine. Self-reliance, relying on our own strength, will never give us the outcome or the grace we need along the way—generally speaking, in life or in anything we… Read more: Relying On Our Own Strength Will Never Give Us The Grace We Truly Need
