In sum, then, the little way is often is often a little way of darkness. It’s about accepting that we are to put with ourselves—with all the darkness of our weakness, brokenness, and sin—without getting discouraged. From the book: 33 Days of Merciful Love
by Michael E. Gaitley. MIC
Love of self is commanded because it is so difficult. People can spend a great deal of time hiding themselves from others and from God because they believe those they know are better, or at least more together than they are. When Jesus asks us to become childlike he was not demanding that we become something different, but to accept who and what we are. What we often take for being an adult, is just a more sophisticated way of living out archetypal games that children often play/fight with each other.
Childlessness is the opposite of being childlike.
Cultural norms are often a way to distract us from our essential poverty, it keeps us busy and in doing that we can live our lives ‘in quiet desperation’, because nothing promised us is really true when it comes to success, beauty or the adulation of others. For if we make ourselves invisible to others and to God (which is a fool’s game), we miss out on the paradox of the true maturity of being a child. The more mature people are loving, open and do not have to impress others. They understand their humanity in those they meet because they see and understand their own ‘darkness’. And in that others become lovable, because they understand that they are loved. They know that they are loved by God and the same is for all that they meet. When we forget this, or do not know of it, causes no amount of suffering and pain.
There is no such thing as a self-made man/woman. Family history, DNA, intelligence and our looks are givens at birth…..they have a great deal of control over us. In becoming childlike we embrace what is hidden from others, or if not hidden, we do not share the contempt that they may have for us. For our true worth is that each of us is a child of God, of infinite value and we are called to love one another. If we are grounded in this understanding and because of this, we do not have to run away into contempt and hatred in order to protect us from the humanity of those we interact with. We do not run from the pain that compassion and empathy will bring. It is a price worth paying for we become more alive.
In each we meet, Christ is found. In those we struggle with this is even truer. Those who draw out our contempt, fear and even hatred, yes, no matter how difficult, we are called to love. In that we learn our need of grace and healing for our hearts to become flesh and not stone…the deeper in and higher up we go, the more our humanity will blossom, until we become the very Heart of God.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
