Filling An Empty Container

Be Open To Receiving From Everywhere

As I’ve gotten older and thankfully wiser (the two are not synonymous by the way, as I know plenty of stupid old people), I’ve learned to open my mind to things once closed off. I was raised Catholic, baptized my daughter Catholic, attend the Catholic church from time to time but wouldn’t consider myself a practicing Catholic. I’m not Catholic enough for Catholics, I’m too Catholic for most Christians, believe too strongly in God for atheists and don’t believe strongly enough for believers. I view this as a sign I’m doing something right. Falling into the camp of humility when it comes to God always feels right to me. To describe my beliefs in one sentence would be to say I wrestle with God. This wrestling match means God is at the forefront of my mind and my actions on the daily, again seemingly a good place to be. I don’t like religious rhetoric - which I find is a noble attempt for people to understand that which we cannot possibly understand. But I’m also not of the mindset I have nothing to learn from the religious. I am open to learning and receiving from an infinite number of sources.

My mother on the other hand is about as Catholic as they come. She has rosary beads hanging from her rear view mirror, prayer cards and pictures of the Pope tucked neatly under her visor (my husband and I affectionately refer to her car as the Pope mobile) and unless her hands are otherwise occupied, you will find a rosary wrapped around them. I adore this about my mother. I don’t agree with everything she believes, nor do I have to. But I am open to receiving what she has to share and the other day she shared something with me from her Liturgy of the Word. A message that aligned with our 2023 focus on doing less to become more. I thought you would enjoy it as well.

Let me return to the example of filling an empty container. God means to fill each of you with what is good; so cast out what is bad! If he wishes to fill you with honey and you are full of sour wine, where is the honey to go? The vessel must be emptied of its contents and then be cleansed. Yes, it must be cleaned even if you have to work hard and scour it. It must be made fit for the new thing, whatever it may be.

Whatever your beliefs are, these words are a powerful metaphor. You must shed what isn’t working for you to receive what is better. It is going to be hard work. You don’t need to fill yourself with more, you need to empty yourself instead.

This is also a reminder to check your ego. There isn’t anyone or anything that cannot teach us something. The trouble is, most of us are too arrogant to receive messages from places we think are somehow below or inferior to us.