The Heart of The Matter

God, in his great love, has given us many gifts and provisions for knowing him and loving him more fully: the Church, the bible, the sacraments, liturgy, worship music - and countless other things to encounter him within and through. All of these things are holy, healthy, and necessary. They strengthen our devotion and remind us of our true love, of our truest reality and selves. And yet, they are shadows.

When I look at my wedding band, I don't think about the ring itself. I don't admire the gold or it's shape and design. Instead, I remember my wife. And in that remembering, an entire host of other experiences and sensations rush in on me: thoughts of the one I love the most; thoughts and emotions toward the one I find most beautiful and wonderful; events of warmth and love flood my soul. I hear her voice; I see her smile; I know her heart and her touch. All of this from an object that is separate from my wife and completely different in nature from her. All of this from a symbol of our love and marriage. It's really quite wonderful and amazing.

But what if I started to spend more time with my wedding band than my wife? What if I started talking more to my wedding band than her? What if all I ever wanted to do was to keep trying over and over to experience all the wonderful memories and feelings described above without ever being with and being present to my wife? The end result would be emptiness and frustration for she and myself because love doesn't work that way. Love has to be person to person.

Which brings me to the heart of the matter: relationship. In marriage and with the Lord, the heart is always relationship founded in intimate, honest, daily communication. Love has to be exchanged for it to be healthy; love has to be poured back and forth from one vessel to the other. We were created for this - a love relationship with God the Father. If we lose ourselves in trying to substitute his actual Presence and fellowship with the gifts and reminders he's given us, we lose indeed.

The relationship is more important than all else. Jesus wants me, my whole heart.
Do I want him and his whole heart? Yes.