Hunger and Thirst for More

     “I was sure that it was better for me to give myself up to Your love than to give in to my own desires. However, although the one way appealed to me and was gaining mastery, the other still afforded me pleasure and kept me victim. I had no answer to give to You when You said, ‘Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you.’ When on all sides You showed me that Your words were true, and I was overcome by Your truth, I had no answer whatsoever to make, but only those slow and drowsy words, ‘Right away. Yes, right away.’ ‘Let me be for a while.’ But ‘Right away – right away, was never now, and “Let me be for a little while’ stretched out for a long time.”                                                                                                                                        St. Augustine


     Reading these words of St. Augustine should give us encouragement and hope. His conversion was a journey – and a long one at that! He was held victim by many inordinate attachments. But through the prayers of His mother St. Monica, along with the acceptance of God’s grace, he became one of the greatest saints of the Catholic Church!


     We all have different areas in our lives with which we struggle with inordinate attachments: too much food, drink, shopping, television, internet, etc; an endless and empty search trying -- to belong, to be loved, to be someone, to achieve, to have; a desperate effort on our part, to fill the hole in our heart, that can only be filled with God.

     Fearful of the emptiness we may experience, like Augustine, we struggle with even the thought of letting go of our inordinate pleasures. The desire to hold on to our attachments is stronger; maybe I’ll do it tomorrow – next week – next month. We often lack the trust that our good God can fill this void and put off the very thing that will set us free.

     Do not despair! Do not give up hope! Our God wants us to be free, even more than we do ourselves. He will do all that He can to send help our way. It is up to us to accept the grace and begin to act as if we have received it. The change will not happen overnight, in fact, just as bad habits are acquired over time, replacing them with something good, will take time as well. Each time we can say “yes” to God and “no” to our inordinate attachments, we are strengthening our spiritual muscles. Every time we can overcome “ourselves,” we will grow a little stronger. Even with successes, we will still fall. When we do, we must learn to gently accept ourselves, rise up and begin again. This will be an ongoing process and we must be patient with ourselves. Sainthood will not be achieved easily!

     When Christ was tempted in the desert, He was fortified with the Word of God. Satan flees when challenged with Holy Scripture, and we become strengthened. Filling our “quiver with arrows,” God’s Word, will help us to overcome the enemy when he strikes.

     Here are some scriptures that will be helpful:

“But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and guard you from evil” (2Thes 3:3).

“You shall not fear them; for it is the Lord your God who fights for you” (Dt 3:22).

“You draw near this day to battle against your enemies; Let not your heart faint; do not fear, or tremble, or be in dread of them; for the Lord your God is He that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory” ( Dt 20: 3-4).

“No evil will befall the man who fears the Lord, but in trial He will deliver him again and again”          (Sr 33:1)
 
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (Pr 18:10).

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word” (Ps 119: 114)

“The Lord knows how to deliver the God-fearing from temptation” ( 2Pt 2:9).

“I have laid up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps 119:11).

     We must learn to lay up the Word of God in our hearts and minds so that when we are tempted to say, “Let me be for a little while,” we can instead cry out, “Right away,” with the help of the Lord and overcome ourselves!

     Giving ourselves over to God’s love instead of our inordinate desires, will be well worth the effort. Once Augustine tasted the goodness of the Lord, he was held captive by it. Let us remember that God is the only one who can truly fill the longing in our hearts. Don’t settle for a counterfeit. Embrace the Truth!

     “Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient and ever new, late have I loved You! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for You. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which You created. You were with me, but I was not with You. Created things kept me from You; yet if they had not been in You they would not have been at all. You called, You shouted, and You broke through my deafness. You flashed, You shone, and You dispelled my blindness. You breathed Your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for You. I have tasted You, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me and I burn for Your peace.”  
                                                                                  St. Augustine thoughts after his conversion

     May we come to recognize the God who lives in our hearts and begin to burn for His peace. St. Augustine, pray for us!