full

Opening Prayer: O Jesus, let me be full of you.  Amen.

Scripture: Romans 15:13

Journal: What words would you use to describe your soul these days?  What are you full of?  What would it look like to be overflowing with hope?  What are you overflowing with?

Reflection: We are all full of something.  Somedays it is anxiety and insecurity, somedays it is pride and arrogance, and somedays it is something a little more noble than that.  If I am completely honest, however, I must admit that almost always I am full of myself. The problem is that there is a spiritual principle in play here: Whatever you are full of is what will pour forth from your life.  If I am full of anxiety, then anxiety is what will overflow from me.  If I am filled with arrogance, then arrogance with overflow from me.  But if I am filled with Jesus, then Jesus will overflow from me.  It is that simple.  Saint Bernard wrote about it years ago: “The man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal.  The canal simultaneously pours out what it receives, the reservoir retains the water till it is filled, then discharges the overflow without loss to itself.  Today there are many in the Church who act like canals, the reservoirs are far too rare.  You must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts, do not try to be more generous than God.”

Prayer

Closing Prayer: May the life of God within us fill us to overflowing, that we might drench all who come across our paths with his love and his joy and his peace.  Amen.