Love tends to union with the object loved…Jesus Christ loves a soul that is in a state of grace with immense love; he ardently desires to unite himself with it. St. Alphonse Liguori

What does it mean to be in a “state of grace”? While theologians have spilled much ink in their quest for definitions, it seems to me that one is in a state of grace when open to and trusting in the work of the Spirit in our lives, i.e., offerings of (unmerited) love by the Great Mystery. We ought not be surprised at St. Alphonse’s suggestion that Christ (as the Incarnation of God) is drawn to those who have accepted God’s offerings of love—a trinitarian oneness in an eternal flow or dance of love from one to the other.

Consider that many wedding traditions often incorporate signs of unity beyond that of the married couple; for example, friends and relatives joining hands and dancing around the newly married couple. In this symbolic gesture, a community is being united in their support the new couple, all the while respecting the particularity of the newly married. So it is with marriage itself: two become one, yet in a healthy marriage, the individuality of each is not only maintained, but enhanced as well.

In some religious traditions, it is believed that one’s ultimate destiny is to have our individuality absorbed into the Mysterious Oneness. Many who hold with a Judeo-Christian perspective also trust that they will ultimately “die into God”, through whom and from whom we have our existence. However, from a Christ-centered perspective believers also trust that in that “re-union”, our particularity will not be obliterated. In other words, the image of God in which we are made is not of a “cookie cutter” quality. We are eternally loved in our exquisite uniqueness.

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A Christian has a union with Jesus Christ more noble, more intimate and more perfect than the members of a human body have with their head. St. John Eudes

We ought to be grateful that the members of our bodies have an intimate and perfect union among themselves.  Indeed, even the most cursory knowledge of our physiology reveals how perfectly attuned are the bits and pieces (even at a cellular level) in their relationship to the wholeness of our functioning.

St. Eudes affirms that the organic unity within our bodies is a pattern for how we relate to the Divine. Indeed, he asserts that our relationship with God, as mediated by Christ, is even more intimate and more perfect.  As it progresses, science will describe more and more of the complexity of our bodies, yet the same kind of development cannot be expected in matters of the soul and its relationship to God. It will always be mysterious.

One thing that we can learn from the human body’s operation is its ‘sending and receiving” nature. We can imagine an intricate web of communication channels, with each body part/area making its unique contribution to the body’s overall functioning. When the body is healthy, these processes require no attention. However, in times of illness, it quickly becomes apparent that ‘something is wrong”.

What does this mean spiritually?  I believe it has to do with keeping the channels open and clear, ensuring that we respond to the subtle stirrings of the Divine indwelling, while at the same time responding and initiating. Just as  we can easily ignore calls and posts, we may do so in relation to God. What’s different about the Divine connection and the media feed? No need to ever worry about being rejected or ignored, even if we have done so.

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Let us throw ourselves into the ocean of his goodness, where every failing will be cancelled, and anxiety turned into love. St. Paul of the Cross

There is something about the ocean that draws people from all ages and backgrounds. It’s been the subject of all manner of artistic endeavor. For some it may evoke the vastness, depth, and fear of one’s inner world and the divine indwelling.

St. Paul of the Cross reminds us that the divine “ocean” is benign in its very nature and so within it all our “failings” will be “cancelled”.  Fear-based anxieties are soothed through an openness to  the reality of God’s love. Note that it is we ourselves who need to throw ourselves into the water. It is always an exercise of freedom:  God cannot and will not force us to enjoy the supreme joy of oneness with Him.

It may be helpful to imagine a young child looking a bit fearfully at a large body of water, dipping in a toe or a foot and then scurrying back to the shore. At the same time, the child’s parents are in the water, urging her to come forward. Risky, yes, but what will ultimately draw the child into the waters is trust of her parents’ love.