It is a recurring call, the coaxing of Christ, to constantly forget your follies and to leave yourself for the welfare of those around you. The kingdom of heaven exists on the currency of love alone- a love which is open-handed, unconditional, and which is focused not on the giver, but on the receiver. The giver, in Christ, already presumes through the grace of God that his needs are met, that his resources are borrowed and ticketed to be buoyancy to another, and that the subsidies of heavenly coffers are endless. These presumptions rest on a singular faith in the fierce favor of the Father, who loves each of His creatures with an intimate fondness that instills life when it is accepted, and instills power when it is embraced. It is the power of love, which is magnified through the practice of sacrifice and service, when I can look at you, a stranger, and say “This is my brother in Him” or “This is my sister in Him”, and be moved seeing the imprint of His handiwork in your thoughts and your words and your eyes.

Like the seed that falls to the ground and dies to become a tall, fruiting tree, we also at times must completely lose our sight to begin to see what is really cardinal in life.

Love always, inevitably asks us to leave ourselves for the interests of others, and in doing so, we are filled up.