Intimacy

Jay's Corner . . . a man's view of the world and this mission. Coming to you every Saturday!

How do you define INTIMACY? Some have been raised in families sharing healthy thoughts, others perverse.  And yet others, well, it just was not something they talked about.

May I assert regardless of what family experience you had, INTIMACY is not only requisite to living a full and happy life . . . but regardless where you are with INTIMACY in your life today you can learn to be more INTIMATE. And it’s never too late.

INTIMACY can be defined as “INTO YOU I SEE and INTO ME YOU SEE.” It may just be one person . . . a close friend, a spouse, a grandparent . . . who knows everything about you, warts and all. And they have shared their life openly with you. It’s that one person who loves you not only for your attributes (and despite your flaws), but because you are willing to risk showing your humanity. We are humbled sharing areas in our lives where we may have gone astray or missed the mark (sin).

Jesus calls us to live deeply with Him. He desires INTIMACY. He sees into us, yes, everything. We cannot hide and He still loves us unconditionally. One day, while attending a Catholic Military Academy (Marmion High School), a monk likened His Love to being on a beach with one palm tree. Because we choose to stand behind the tree . . . and in the shade . . . does not mean the sun ever stops shining. It is up to us to step into the Light. It is there all the time for us to receive.

In todays Gospel (John 14:7-14), Jesus asks Philip . . . after all of the time he spent with Him . . . if he still didn’t know who He was:

Jesus said to his disciples:  “If you know me, then you will also know my Father.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”  Philip said to Jesus,  “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?  Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?  The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.  The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, St. Faustina shares:

“Dear souls, we must spread God’s mercy throughout the world. All souls will have the

opportunity to benefit from God’s great mercy. Indeed, this opportunity is available in each moment of each life. God is patient and waits for the soul to turn to Him in need, in sorrow, in humility. When this occurs, God can flood the soul with His merciful healing."

Lay apostles, are we answering the call with open arms or is there a part of us that wants to remain in the shadows? He already knows what it is that may be holding us back to being fully open to Him in our lives. He wants to heal that hurt. He wants us to have love in our life we never believed possible.

Thank you Lord for seeing me in my entirety, knowing the great parts about me, about the gifts and talents I possess. And for all of my faults, fears and weaknesses and loving me so greatly! Help me to say Yes more every day . . . to trust . . . and to feel the love You have so readily available for me.

In humility and gratitude,
Jay