Eternal participation

The vocation to union with God is a vocation to eternal life... Faith tells us that God wills to give the soul eternal life i.e. an eternal participation in his life. ~ St Edith Stein (Finite & Eternal Being VIII.§3.1)

Yesterday, when I saw these words tweeted by the Carmelite Nuns of Great Britain, the first ones I noticed were eternal life. And I recalled Jesus' assurance during the Last Supper: And eternal life is this, to know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent... (John 17.3). Not the knowing of knowledge, but of intimacy, and of a relationship rooted in love... this is our eternal life; God's call and promise, and our everlasting joy.

And then I re-read the words, and this time I read more slowly. The vocation to union with God... and for an RSCJ this union is with the Heart of Jesus, source of God's unlimited love. A union which is meant to permeate our lives and activities, enabling us to discover and radiate the love of his Heart. And I recalled our Constitutions, which remind us that Our union and conformity with the Heart of Jesus widens our capacity to love and to let ourselves be loved. 

And so this eternal participation in God's life is nothing less than an eternal participation in his love! 

What a lovely thought to accompany us as we celebrate Christ's Ascension, filled with the promise of his everlasting presence, and the assurance contained in his parting words, according to Matthew... And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time...