“I have to be a burning candle that melts the wax and gives light till it dies. Like the members of the body united with the head and the iron to the magnet, I desire to be united with Jesus in the Sacrament and in heaven”

(Resolutions of 1870; in AEC p. 730).

I LIVE, BUT NOT ME

Father Claret emphasizes the importance of the sacrifice of the self to remain permanently united with Jesus. He makes use of the well known symbol of the burning candle to explain it. You know very well the common law of slowly dying to oneself in the spiritual life.

From the mere natural plan, all the human beings are moved by the tendencies and desires of their “ego”; this blind area has to be controlled by the mind and will. All the religions recognize that “selfishness” and God cannot go together. Those who want to grow in their union with God will have to free themselves from their “ego”. This is what Jesus teaches with the expression “deny himself” (Mk 8: 34). “The ego” does not have the copy of the image of God. Perhaps this is what St. Paul calls by the word “flesh”, which does not get along with the plan of God, “it cannot even” (Rm 8:7). “The ego” is an idol that wants to occupy the place of God.

On the contrary, living according to God is the way of self realization, because it is returning “the original self”, created by God to his image. The way we experience God more and more, “the ego” diminishes and disappears as the wax of the candle; and we arrive at to say “It is no longer me, Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). The wax begins to diminish according the flame on the candle. In the same manner, the more we are occupied by the presence of God “the Ego” will be caste away.

The self- aging process plays an important role in this matter: it breaks the shell of “the ego” and leaves it unprotected. That´s why Jesus invites us to take up the cross. Where to begin? It all begins with the desire to be united with Jesus. Claret speaks of his unquenchable thirst to be united with Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and in heaven. Thirst and desire are the doors to this communion with Him. And it is the key for the door for happiness. Does it sound crazy? It can be so for you. But the fact is that our inner being is constituted in such a way that it´s nature is to be united to the divine. Perhaps you may have failed many times to listen its instigations to journey towards this joy. But can you begin once again?