Imagine having everything the world can offer - such as beauty
and success - and leaving it all to follow God as a nun.
That is the story of Esmeralda Solis Gonzales.
In 2016, at the age of 19, she had established a career as a
nutritionist and then was crowned as the beauty queen of her hometown of Valle
de Guadalupe in Mexico. However, it was not enough for her. Though she had
achieved more success than most young women her age, she knew that there had to
be more to life. And it was clear to her that the world could not offer her
the “something more” she sought. And so,
she left it all to join the Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament.
Looking back on the life she once lived she said, “I was very
happy with everything I had, but it does not compare with the happiness that
God now places in my heart.” And, “[it is true that] the reality and the
supposed happiness that the world sells is very attractive [but] it is
necessary to fix your eyes on what lasts.”
Sister Esmeralda’s story is similar to that of so many people
down through the ages who achieved everything the world had to offer but still
found themselves thirsting for more. They had wealth, comfort and pleasures in
abundance but none of it turned out to be enough. Eventually they discovered
what their hearts were longing for in Jesus Christ. Once they discovered the
joy that a relationship with Jesus offered, all the values of this passing
world seemed like nothing in comparison. As Saint Paul says in his letter to
the Philippians, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:8).
Saint Paul also talks about this longing we have within us in
today’s second reading: “We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains
even until now; and not only that...we also groan within ourselves…” This
“groaning” is something that all of us are familiar with. It is that gnawing
sense within us that despite all our success there is still something lacking.
It is that fear that we are frauds because, though we may look as though we
have it all together, within us we still feel inadequate and weak. Though it
may seem to everyone else that we have finally arrived, we still feel lost and
alone.
Sadly, many people try to overcome that groaning within them by
drowning it out with more activities. They think that keeping busy will
distract them from the desperation they feel. Others try to numb their sadness
by turning to drugs and alcohol. Still others think that if they just land that
next promotion, or if they just make that next big sale, they will finally feel
complete inside. And many others think that if they can just meet the right
person, that lonely feeling will finally subside. However, it never turns out
that way, does it? No matter what we achieve in life, no matter how many
friends we have, no matter how much we try to numb ourselves, we find ourselves
exhausted, drained and even more desperate than before.
That is when we hear the words of Jesus in today’s gospel: “Let
anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.”
The refreshment we seek can only be found in Jesus. Only He is
big enough to fill the hole in our hearts. Only He can silence the groaning of
our souls.
All of us who are here today know this to be true. We have
heard it preached about hundreds of times. Why, then, do we keep turning to the
world for the answer to our desperation?
Could it be that we think that Jesus demands too much from us?
Are we afraid that we will have to give up too much? However, isn’t it true
that the world also demands much from us? Consider how far people go to
establish themselves in a career. They study for years, take on debt, work long
hours and even undergo humiliation just to earn a few dollars that are quickly
spent. In the process, their health declines and their relationships suffer.
What Jesus demands of us is easy in comparison. And, rather than deplete us,
Jesus will leave us refreshed.
Could it be that we think our sins are so great that we do not
deserve the refreshment Jesus offers? Could it be that we fear that Jesus will
reject us if we turn to Him? Nothing could be further from the truth. It was to
save sinners that our Lord came into the world. As the Bible tells us “For God
so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). And also, “I tell you that
in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7).
There is no sin that cannot be forgiven. There is nothing we can do that will
put us beyond the reach of our Heavenly Father. If we turn to Him with the
desire to change our lives, we can be sure that He will bring us the
refreshment our hearts are longing for.
Giving our lives over to Jesus will not solve all our problems.
It will not make our lives easier. In fact, He commands us to take up our cross
every day and follow Him. What we will discover, however, is that in being
close to God, we find what our hearts desire. That is because true fulfillment
comes not from indulging ourselves but in sacrificing ourselves for others. And
we cannot overcome our basic selfishness without the love of God living within
us through the Holy Spirit.
And so, on this day when we celebrate the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit upon the apostles and Mary, we commit ourselves to allowing Him to
work through us. We give Jesus the first place in our hearts, other people
second place and the things of this world third place. With the love of God
alive within us, we can then reach out to all those around us who are groaning
because they lack hope. And we can witness to them what we have discovered -
that we have finally found refreshment in Jesus Christ.
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