December 14th is the feast day of St. John of the Cross, a doctor of the Church and a saint I feel particularly drawn to. Saint John of the Cross has much to teach us about getting closer to God through sacrifice and suffering. His book “Dark Night of the Soul” is a profound insight into experiencing God’s love through pain and sacrificing your own desires. He experienced this love particularly while he was locked in a windowless cell for nine months by his own religious order, the Carmelites, because he remained in the outlawed “Discalced” Carmelite sect which focused on poverty. Three times a week after his daily meal of bread and water, he was whipped for his continuing obstinacy.
In light of the feast day of this master of spiritual growth through sacrifice, I will offer some thoughts on the subject.
Offering sacrifice is arguably as old as the human race itself. Humans have been offering sacrifices to what they believe to be divine for as long as history is able to record the fact.
Sacrifice is the highest act of religion. It withdraws something from man's personal use and makes it sacred. Possible motives to offer sacrifice include giving thanks, attempting to win good will, or making up for an offense. The object sacrificed is the external, tangible sign of these inner motives. When humans make sacrifices to God, they acknowledge themselves as finite and God as infinite. The favor humans ask for through sacrifice is ultimately for life, something only God can give. In sacrifice, one acknowledges God as the source and lord of one's life.
Yet as finite creatures, we cannot offer God a sacrifice worthy of Him. Since God is infinite, humans cannot love, praise, and give thanks to God as He deserves to be loved, praised, and thanked. This is why original sin was such a grave act. Once humans decided to break the relationship with God, there was nothing they could do in their power to repair it. The relationship could be restored only by God's merciful initiative. Also, because of Original Sin, humans are inclined to prefer themselves to God. Because of concupiscence, our lower faculties often weaken or oppose the decisions of the will. This all makes our human situation seem evermore hopeless.
Thanks to God's mercy, He sent his Son, fully God and fully man. As God, and as man who is not affected by original sin, Jesus offers God the Father a perfect sacrifice for all of humanity.
I can’t wait to celebrate His birthday soon!
Have a blessed Advent,
Daniel
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