Episode 2514: Seeking God The Call to Holiness in Love, Chastity, and Redemption - Morning Episode

Welcome to today’s episode, where we will dive into the profound mystery of seeking God and how our calling, whether through marriage, consecrated life, or our daily vocation, leads us closer to His divine love. We’ll reflect on the wisdom of St. John of the Cross, Venerable Fulton Sheen, and the prophet Isaiah, each revealing how God not only seeks us but invites us to love Him through our service to others.
In our journey of faith, we often feel like we are the ones striving to find God, yet St. John of the Cross reminds us: "If a person is seeking God, his beloved is seeking him much more." This beautiful truth shifts our understanding of the spiritual life—God is always the one who initiates, who reaches out to us with love far greater than we can ever imagine.
In this episode, we will also explore the sacrificial callings of marriage and chastity, both of which require selflessness and service, and how they lead to true fulfillment. Drawing on the writings of Fulton Sheen, we’ll see how our vocations are not just about personal growth, but about embracing our role in God’s larger family—the Church. Finally, we will look to the words of Isaiah, who speaks of the joy and redemption God brings to His people, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies in the salvation He offers to all.
Let’s begin by reflecting on how God’s love is always seeking us, drawing us into deeper union with Him.
Main Reflection:
St. John of the Cross speaks directly to the heart of our spiritual longing when he says: "If a person is seeking God, his beloved is seeking him much more." We often think of our spiritual journey as a one-sided pursuit—our effort to find God, to reach Him through prayer, sacrifice, and love. But St. John flips this perspective. In truth, God is already seeking us. His love for us is so immense, so incomprehensible, that He is constantly drawing us toward Himself, even when we feel distant or lost.
This truth is a source of great comfort and hope for all of us. No matter where we are in life, no matter how far we may feel from God, He is already reaching out to us, desiring union with us. Our task, then, is to respond to His call, to open our hearts to His love, and to trust that He is always near, even when we don’t sense His presence. This relationship with God is not one of equals; He is the initiator, the lover who never ceases to pursue us.
In a similar way, our human relationships—particularly in marriage and consecrated life—reflect this divine love. Venerable Fulton Sheen offers a powerful reflection on the nature of these vocations, showing how both marriage and chastity are pathways to self-giving love. He writes:
"Marriage releases the flesh from its individual selfishness for the service of the family; the vow of chastity releases the flesh not only from the narrow and circumscribed family, where there can still be selfishness, but also for the service of that family that embraces all humanity."
In marriage, the love between a husband and wife is meant to be a reflection of God’s love—self-giving, sacrificial, and fruitful. The love that flows from marriage serves not only the couple but the entire family. It draws them out of selfishness, orienting their lives toward the service of others. This is why marriage is a sacred vocation, a pathway to holiness where the spouses help each other grow in virtue and love.
But there is another path—one that Fulton Sheen eloquently describes—the vow of chastity. While marriage calls for the self-giving of two individuals to each other, chastity opens the heart to a broader, more universal love. Those who take the vow of chastity—whether priests, religious, or consecrated laity—are called to serve the entire Church, the family of God. As Sheen says, they belong not to one family but to all. This is why priests are called “Father”—they are spiritual fathers, begetting life in the Spirit, nurturing the souls entrusted to their care.
Both vocations—marriage and chastity—require selflessness and sacrifice, but they also lead to the fulfillment of our deepest longing: to love and be loved in a way that reflects God’s infinite love for us. Each vocation, in its own way, participates in the redemption of the world, drawing others toward God and manifesting His love in the world.
Finally, we turn to the words of the prophet Isaiah, who offers us a vision of God’s ultimate redemption:
"Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion... for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem." (Isaiah 52:8-10)
Isaiah’s prophecy speaks of the joy and salvation that comes when God returns to His people. This joy is not just a feeling, but the result of God’s action—He redeems His people, He bares His holy arm for all the nations to see, showing His power and love to the ends of the earth. For us, this redemption is fully realized in Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection bring salvation not only to Israel but to all of humanity.
As Catholics, we live in the hope of this redemption. Whether we are called to marriage, chastity, or any other vocation, we are called to participate in this redemptive work by loving God and serving others. And in doing so, we reflect the love of Christ, who seeks us out and offers us the fullness of life in Him.
Conclusion:
As we reflect on these powerful insights from St. John of the Cross, Venerable Fulton Sheen, and the prophet Isaiah, we are reminded that our journey toward God is one marked by love—His love for us, which always seeks us first, and our response to that love through our vocations. Whether we are called to marriage, consecrated life, or another path, our goal is the same: to live selflessly, to love fully, and to participate in God’s redemptive plan for the world.
Let us never forget that God is always seeking us, even when we feel far from Him. And in response, let us open our hearts to His love, trusting that in serving others, we are serving Him. As we await the fullness of God’s redemption, may we live with the joy and hope that comes from knowing that we are His beloved children.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the love You pour out upon us, a love that seeks us even when we are lost. Help us to respond to that love by offering ourselves in service to You and to others, whether through the vocation of marriage, consecrated life, or our daily work. May we always seek to reflect Your love in the world, living selflessly and joyfully as members of Your family. Guide us, Lord, in our journey of faith, and grant us the grace to persevere in love, trusting in the redemption You have promised to all.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.