Become what you love

I have been reading “Travelling Light” by Daniel O’Leary which includes some interesting and some challenging ideas connected to spirituality.  It is written as a series of daily reflections and spiritual exercises to take you across a month – though I am reading and pondering it as and when.  I got to Day 21 a few days ago and was particularly struck by some of its ideas.  It has the title ‘Become what you love’ and encourages us to be positive – “So many of our negative moods, ‘bad hair’ days, lifeless morning feelings come because we are unaware that our possibilities are limitless.”

It goes on to consider something of the challenges – opportunities – of life: “Maybe we are right to be afraid.  Some prayers, like the Our Father for instance, are downright dangerous.  …  we know that we will be transformed all right, but crucified first.”  The Way of Jesus is a great way, but it is not easy, calling us, as it does, to  be those who are “daring to dream the impossible dream, because it is not impossible at all, since it is ours by birthright.”

We need to take God at his word.  O’Leary quotes Thomas Merton – “Make way for Christ whose smile, like lightning, sets free the song of everlasting glory that now sleeps in your paper flesh, like dynamite.”