Day 3
What really matters? That is a question that we all need to answer. Is it wealth, or is it our health? Or it is fame, or our good name? If we are reading this preparation for Total Consecration, it is probably not a thing. Rather it is a Being: GOD. Nothing is more vital. We need God. We don’t need riches, or well-being. We don’t need to have notoriety or to have a good reputation. Again, we need GOD!!! Too often we get our needs and wants screwed up. We just need God. And whatever is going to hinder our relationship with Him, needs to be put in its place and gotten rid of it. This is what really matters.
So we want to belong totally God. What do we need? “All those who belong to Christ, incarnate Wisdom, have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires” (Preparation for Total Consecration, 26). We need to get rid of our wants, and focus on what we need. If it is getting in the way of our relationship with God, we need to get rid of it. If it is not preparing us for Heaven, than it is time for it to go. It isn’t easy doing this. This is why we have a spiritual practice given to us today. We are asked to give something up for the rest of the preparation. Why? Because we need to learn some self-discipline to belong fully to God.
Some daily sacrifice, no matter what it is (as long as God is calling us to do it) helps us to let go of the world. I remember Mathew Kelly in his book Rediscover Catholicism said that if you want to learn to fast, start small. He suggests giving up seasoning our food, such as not putting on salt and pepper. It is a small thing, but it helps to build discipline (self-control) and this is needed so that we can possess God. “If we are to possess incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ, we must practice self-denial and renounce the world and self” (Preparation for Total Consecration, 27). Thus we have work to do with the grace of God to leave the world behind so that we can possess God.