Holy Restlessness

  Many people are fully aware of Saint Augustine quote that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. But for some, the call for holiness is so zealous and intense that it calls for a holy restlessness that is strong in ardour and requires high levels of energy. I am particularly inspired by the saints who acted like a pillar of the Church maintaining standards and who have armies of spiritual followers. What great examples these holy men and women are who renounced everything for the sake of Christ who died for us. In this century I think of examples such as Mother Theresa and Josemaria Escriva who were champions of a holy restlessness. They would not settle short of aspiring for perfection through tireless work. It has been said that Pius XII worked 16 hours a day.

God favours how we have loved above the work that we do for him. Who we are is far superior to what we do. Our work needs purpose, direction and meaning. It must have a motivating force. The will and intention is of utmost importance in the moral essence of an action. God looks at the heart and interior rather than the exterior surface with regards to our work. In salvation history, God assigned work as a consequence of the fall of Adam, but the interior vocation to love was in man from the beginning. In the words of St John of the Cross, “God will judge us by our love.”

St Augustine says, “Let your present state always leave you dissatisfied if you want to become what you are not yet. For wherever you feel satisfaction then you will stop. Say that it “is enough” you are lost. You must always look for more, look beyond, make progress.” (Sermon 169, 18).