Holy Desire
Saint Augustine once wrote, “The whole life of a good Christian is a holy desire.” I may have touched on this in other “Daily Words,” but I can’t seem to kick this theme of considering what shapes our desires. Another way to put it may be: what influences what we love? The author, James K. A. Smith, speaks about this eloquently in his book, “Desiring the Kingdom” — which I highly recommend — however, everything he says comes down to the above quote from Augustine.
Humans naturally have desires; there are things to which we are drawn and other things that repulse us. We live in a culture that shapes our desires through many different daily forms. The world of marketing is based on shaping our desires to long for whatever they are selling. The irony of Christianity is that it essentially sells nothing, but offers everything.
As a priest, I sometimes feel like a salesman. In fact, I am more of an ancient orator who is trying to persuade others to align their delights and desires to what delights God and what He desires.
What do you find yourself longing for? We might ask if they are even attainable, let alone good for us.
My belief mirrors Saint Augustine’s: that our desires should be aligned with God’s desire. In the end, God, as our Creator, not only knows what is best for us, but He actively seeks out our flourishing in this life. Yet, it usually takes a lifetime for us to accept that God knows best — that’s the hard lesson that Adam and Eve had to learn.
My prayer for today is that our desires become shaped and formed by God so that we may be more like Him. May we love what He loves and may our desires be transformed by Him into truly holy desires.
A Prayer
Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.
(“The Book of Common Prayer, p. 123)
