15 February 2018
Thursday after Ash Wednesday and Memorial of St. Claude de la Colombiere, SJ
“Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you…” (Dt 30:19-20)
What does it mean for someone who is ill to choose life? At the very least for him to make every effort to seek out the means to regain his health: find a professional to diagnose him, take the medicine prescribed, follow the diet and exercise regimen recommended, etc. The patient does these things because he wants a fullness of health that he does not enjoy at the moment. His head is not as clear when he is sick. He has far less energy when he is sick. The fullness of life is affected by lacking the fullness of health. Perhaps this is why Moses describes life as loving, listening to, and holding fast to the Lord our God. I am able to think clearly, honestly and well about my priorities in life when I focus on the Lord. I am able to act with zeal, energy and joy when I act out of love for my God. Let us seek the fullness of life, so that we too may contemplate God as did St. Claude de la Colombiere who wrote, “God is in the midst of us, or rather we are in the midst of him; wherever we are he sees us and touches us: at prayer, at work, at table, at recreation.”