We all want to get closer to God than we currently are, to deepen our relationship with him.
Otherwise, none of us would be here today.
This desire to get closer to God is a treasure, a precious gift from the Holy Spirit; it keeps us on track.
- This is because we were made for God; we cannot attain the meaning and fulfillment we long for without living in communion with God.
- As the Catechism puts it: "Man was made to live in communion with God, in whom he finds happiness" (#45).
- The deeper this communion, the stronger our friendship with God (the closer we are to God), the fuller our experience of happiness, here on earth and forever in heaven.
Today, the Church is reminding us of one of the absolutely essential ingredients for living closer to God: humility.
- In today's First Reading, Moses senses God's presence vaguely when he sees the burning bush.
- He steps closer, drawn by this presence, but then God stops him: "Come no nearer!"
- At that point, Moses was moving towards God on his own terms.
- But when we do that, there is a limit to how close we can get to God.
- To break through that limit, Moses had to make an act of humility.
- God said to him, "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."
- Moses had to acknowledge that God was God, and Moses was not God.
- Only then, only when we are conscious of our limitations, of our earthliness and neediness, can we truly begin to know God, who is all-holy, all-wise, all-powerful, and all-loving.
In order for all of us to come closer to God during this holy season of Lent, it is a good idea to reflect more deeply on this invaluable virtue of humility.
Three things especially are worth noting about humility.