Tuesday, November 12, 2013

From The Friars eLetter: The Fulfillment of Encounter

Here, perhaps, is a new thought for you: processing up the aisle to receive Holy Communion is like a bride processing toward her groom, with each step she draws nearer to him whom she loves, to him who has given himself for her.  The bridegroom comes freely and awaits her hand; watching her approach he rejoices in her beauty and goodness and love, and she goes freely to meet him; freely to his embrace she goes.

The soul wants nothing more than to be freely and passionately loved by Jesus Christ.  In this way it images the bride.  Her deepest desire is that the bridegroom would freely desire her and choose to deeply love her all his life, and she knows that she can do nothing to earn such love, being aware of her powerlessness her disposition becomes one of expectation so that upon his arrival she cannot contain her joy, for at last, she can rest in her beloved.

This is the mystery of our union with God, this is the poetry of the Song of Songs, this is the experience of the Eucharist.  And once we begin to experience the intimacy of his love, it becomes clear that as much as we may fail him, he will never fail us.  You can never lose that look of love with which he watches you draw near in Holy Communion.  You could turn and walk away from him but that only changes your gaze not His, and at your first repentance he will be awaiting you.

+ Br. Joseph Michael Fino, CFR
Paterson, NJ
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