The Quandary of being human

Quandary is inescapable for us simply because we are human and therefore not sufficient of ourselves. As St Paul said:
What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! 1Cor.4:7

We have no security except in God, even though we imagine that more of this or more of that will make us secure. This delusion leads ultimately to war.
But on the every day level this delusion is the opposite of poverty of spirit. What St. Paul says is a good solid way to express poverty of spirit. What have you that you have not received? All is gift, life itself and the freedom to do this or that, to choose this or that. But if we want to choose to be truly human we need to consent to live in a quandary which is to depend radically on the mystery we call God. When we say we walk by faith, we are also saying we walk in mystery. And so long as we are in mystery we remain in a quandary. What then? The faith in which we walk tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. We are so loved. In this love alone do we find our security.

I guess that is why I like some of the phrases St. Therese Couderc uses to explain “surrendering to God.” To surrender oneself is to be no longer concerned with self except to keep it continually turned toward God.

If and when in our quandary we are aware of our faults and failings, we can again turn to words from St. Paul : Who will deliver us from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ Our Lord.” (Rom 7:24) Here you see Paul too turning to God.

That is certainly one great value in taking time for centering or Christian Meditation. In this prayer, we are just putting ourselves in the hands of God, entrusting ourselves to God. Not telling God what we need, that is for another time of day. Here we just remember God is present, loving us and we entrust our whole being to Him. For me, that act of faith in the reality of our here and now relationship to God is vital. I believe God is here, we are immersed in this mystery. Let us pray