Spiritual Dryness

Gospel Reflection for September 11th, 2024

Icon of the Ladder of Ascent

In today’s Gospel, we have a striking dichotomy illustrated by Our Lord. Here, we have the Lukan account of the Beatitudes which juxtapose those who suffer here on earth and those who don’t. It is the difference between spiritual consolation and spiritual desolation. Suffering itself is a very great mystery. Within God’s providence, He sends us crosses that we must carry knowing that our most expedient way to heaven is through those crosses. However, whether we pick them up and carry them is our own decision.

One of these crosses that many, if not all, must carry within the spiritual life is one of spiritual dryness. As we progress through the spiritual life and its stages, the consolations present at the beginning of the journey become less and less frequent. There are times when God, in His wisdom, withdraws from the soul so as to elicit a greater yearning for God. When this happens, there is great spiritual dryness. It is as if we are wandering in the desert, and we cannot find God. He purposefully hides Himself from the person so that they rely less and less on their feelings and more on the constant, unchanging God. This causes great spiritual distress but at the same time, it purifies the soul and makes it more ready for the ultimate union with God in heaven.

This process is a necessary one. Unless we are purged from the earthly attachments, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. It is the earthly attachments that Our Lord is speaking of today:

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.” Luke 6:24-25

For those of us who fill ourselves with earthly loves, we will have our earthly, finite consolation. But we will find that at the end of our lives, these earthly attachments will fade and we will be hungry and grieve and weep. We will hunger for He who eternally satisfies. We will grieve and weep for the loss of Him who is our greatest Good.

The spiritual life is one of purification from earthly attachments. It is one that requires that we conform more and more to God and to love of Him.

I want to close with a reflection on the Song of Songs. While that is not within the readings for today, I believe it is applicable. The two figures in the Song, the Bridegroom and the Bride, are scriptural references to God and the individual soul. In chapter three of the Song, the Bridegroom withdraws from the Bride and she goes out searching for Him:

“Upon my bed by night, I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. “I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves.” I sought him but found him not. The watchmen found me, as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” Scarcely had I passed them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.” Song of Songs 3:1–4

This is a snapshot of the spiritual life. There are times when we seek after the One whom our souls loves and we will not be able to find Him. It is God inviting us to not give up and to seek Him in an ever deeper way. Eventually, as the Bride in the Song does, we will find Him. And once we do, we ought not to let Him go. It is in this final holding of Him that the words of today’s Gospel are fulfilled:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.” Luke 6:20-23