"The Lonely Man of God"

One must often think about the realm of God and how he, man, is to cope with the throes of evil that exist without him regarding how and where that evil begins, or to where it is going.  To be sure, as long as there is goodness, wherein man can reside with the Creator’s Countenance, there will almost certainly be evil that enters into a world made for man that corrupts and entices the man.  God never ordained a world of evil, yet in the beautiful creation He gave us the essence of jealousy entered and the one who could have had a life with God became that entity that wanted to be a god himself.  

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  On these few words alone we can see, feel, and hope for the peace, solace, and belief referring to the goodness that God ordained for man to share.  As I have written in several of my reflections God’s Grace is given to us not just as an afterthought, but as a gift that no-one should take lightly.  I mention this now so the reader may understand how swiftly and completely the Creator wanted his creatures to share eternal life with Him.  The prelude to John’s Gospel, using the first words above, sets the pattern for this plan of God to share His Life and Love with us. 

Take just the word of grace and you’ll find myriads of explanations into various thoughts pertaining to this one word, yet covering so many areas of one’s spiritual journey, that without grace man could never reach the pinnacle of God’s mercy and love.  In one of my writings; “Grace” I stated to trust in God to realize grace works, but won’t understand the inner workings of this gift.  I can share it, use it, feel it’s presence, but from where it comes and how God enacts it I will never know.  Believe that it is real and most certainly affects the soul and has an effect on all who have its power within.

Grace also sanctifies and can be found through reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.  It is also discovered when people feel the blessings of ministers as well as other people sharing love with them.  Grace is one entity with many faces or identities.  As with so many mysteries regarding God we need not tire ourselves trying to discern its meaning or origin; just accept that this is one gift that God gives freely and expects us to accept and use it to continue building His Kingdom. 

There are no words that will describe how God has ordained his creation out of sheer love.  Isn’t it a grandiose existence we abide in knowing that our Father created us to share with him, in eternity one day, Did you ever think what it would be like had you never been born?  Well, you couldn’t because you wouldn’t be.  The fact is once we have life our quest should be to allow His abundant life and grace to enter our existence and then seek to not understand, but to accept this new-given life and love He has chosen to share with us. 

So why have I titled this reflection “The Lonely Man of God”?  Let me begin here with the understanding that many people do not have the time to reflect on God and His gentle concern for our individual welfare.   In retrospect, they may have heard at some point in their life that God cares, but do not absorb much more than that as they continue working, playing, and just doing what most of us generally do every day.  Life seems to find us starting our day with specific tasks and never have too much free time to get beyond the humdrum activities that envelop most of our waking moments.  

Some of us might look into the opportunity to try a retreat or some activity wherein we can reflect on things beyond ourselves and the same old everyday business that absorbs most of our days.  For most people, this type of spiritual exercise works for a time and many will look forward to the next opportunity to repeat this time away.  Unfortunately, a lot of us might quickly forget the peacefulness and tranquility we found by giving our spirits and minds a rest period and conversing in some way with the Living Christ if even for a moment in the larger spectrum of human time.

What a loss when we as God’s wonderful creatures become tied up with the necessary tenets of everyday activities and do not seek a retreat from that to find even a moment to allow God’s Spirit an opportunity to rest within our souls; speaking to our hearts, filling that dryness within and refreshing the emptiness within that yearns for God to fill, without our realizing He wants to complete us, daily.

This is the Lonely Man of God who can’t get beyond himself for even a moment and allow the One who searches constantly for our attention to share His Life and Love with us here and in eternity.  We were made to love and worship God, by God, and for God.  He only asks but a moment of our time.    

   July 2016