Coming to know and love God

In today's gospel, Jesus continues his criticisms of the Pharisees (Luke 11:42-46). His main accusation is that they are superficial. They were convinced that they would be saved by carrying out all the external practices demanded by the Law. But Jesus said, ''This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me'' (Matthew 15:8). The same Jesus is challenging us today. There is the danger that while we too carry out our religious practices in good faith, they do not lead us into a conscious, loving relationship with the Father, through Jesus. The well known spiritual writer, Thomas Merton, teaches that the reason for our creation is to know and love God in a deep way through contemplation. For him, contemplation is a gift that only God himself can give us and it enables us to see God in all created things. It is like Jacob waking up from sleep and saying, ''The Lord is here! He is in this place and I didn't know it!'' (Genesis 28:15). Merton says, ''We awaken not only to a realisation of the immensity of God as ruler of the universe, but also to a more intimate and wonderful perception of Him as directly and personally present in our own being.'' I feel like saying, ''Wow, is this really for me? Is it possible?'' But if it is a gift of the Holy Spirit it is possible to receive it because Jesus says, ''The heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.'' (Luke 11:13). The invitation is there. ''Lord, give me the courage to accept it so that my eyes will be opened and my life will be changed.''