“You have to give it away to keep it” is the trustworthy logic behind any authentic human spirituality. Situated at the constant nexus point of time and eternity, we human persons are only ever satisfied by such a paradox. Indeed, the continual process of dying as an ever-expanding gateway to new life is the pattern, or one might say the dance, that allows us to finally experience peace and understand the meaning of life. It’s no wonder then that Jesus insists that we must lose our lives in order to save them (Mt 10:39), that a seed must entrust itself entirely to the earth in order to bear fruit (Jn 12:24), and that he must in fact surrender his body fully in this life in order to possess it fully in the next (Mk 8:31). The next time, therefore, we are tempted to become needy, greedy, obsessive, complacent or lukewarm in our spiritual lives, let’s pause to remember that the open hand which gives is the same open hand which receives – that you have to give it away to keep it. Ave Crux, Spes Unica.
Thank you. I just came from lunch with a couple friends. We told “growing up” stories. And “giving it away in order to keep it” was surely the essence to each of the stories we told. thank you for “putting it” succinctly!.
Yes, Margaret! Thanks for continuing to be faithful to our blog!