Two Brief Observations

Two Brief Observations

By Professor Anthony Maranise, Obl.S.B.

The First – Love’s Only Hope

I recently overheard the most (seemingly) sad yet perspectival thing I have in a while.

Someone remarked (though not to me): “There’s nothing worse than loving someone who’s never going to stop disappointing you.”

At first, that sounded just heartbreaking.

But is that not the relentless, unconditional, “knows-no-limits” type of perfect Love that God has for each of us?

By sin, we constantly disappoint the only One who ever has, ever can, or ever will love us perfectly.

Yet, defying all explanations, what to us mere human-beings must seem like standards of reasonableness, and even displays of gratuitous pathological altruism, God loves us just as much, just the same, and always in His Son and very self, Jesus Christ.

The popular catch-phrase seems to have become in the last several years, “I love you to the moon and back.”

Yet, the depth of God’s superabundant, unconditional, and perfect Love for each one of us is one that makes a round trip distance to the moon and back seem like mere centimeters.

He loves us, literally, to death and back from it— having defeated its eternal captivity over us entirely by that very Love itself.

I’ve come to find that it’s only those who love without a Christocentric perspective or comprehension of what it truly means “to will the good of another” who become exhausted by Love’s demands and necessary sacrifices.

And in that vein, certainly, “loving someone who’s never going to stop disappointing you” often leads to fractures, breaks, failures, or surrenders.

But that’s not how we are loved by Love Himself… and that’s not the way in which we are called to love.

Place Christ where Christ is not and transformation begins.

Human beings are incapable of perfect love on this side of eternity unless and until we place Christ in any time wherein we are inclined to love.

Only then is a love possible which can transcend, endure beyond, and become fully alive wherever and unto whomever it is bestowed as a pure gift.

God’s love is a great gift and it’s meant to overflow. It transforms. Of that, I stand as living proof and witness.

The Second – The Intrepid Life

Simply because we encounter difficulties, impediments, hurdles, obstacles, or resistance doesn’t mean (and never should indicate) that we simply give up and give in.

That’s not the calling God places over us.

He calls us to the Cross because it is only by the Cross that we can come to the Resurrection.

Thus, I do not put much stock into God making the road difficult like I used to believe. I think we do that to ourselves, and the evil one often tries to derail us – using our own foibles against us.

I love a phrase my brother often tells me: “When one door closes, you don’t need to look for a window. Just open the door again. They open and they close. That’s how doors work.”

Stated more bluntly and simply:

Let’s assume something doesn’t work out our way at first, at second… at seven attempts or more… that’s not God saying “no” or “not yet”.

Instead, it’s God reminding us that we weren’t called to comfort but that we were called to greatness.

Hence the profound depths and importance of persistence and perseverance in all areas of life, but especially in the spiritual life.

To quote St. Josemaria Escriva, “To begin, that is for everyone. To persevere, that is for Saints.” And, Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, “We are – each one of us – called to be great Saints; don’t miss the opportunity!”