Scripture tells us to love God with our whole heart, our whole mind, and our whole strength. What an amazing commandment! It seems impossible to fulfill this in its entirety! Looked at from another perspective, from that of Mother Luisita and other Carmelite saints, it gives us a life program to follow.
Put simply, this Scripture asks us to let go and let God. To let go of anything–of everything—that stands in the way of our relationship with God; to let God take charge, that he may truly be the Lord of our lives. It is relatively easy to let go of some things, but much harder to relinquish others.
Tragedies often result in letting go. Our car is totaled. Or the doctor tells us we can no longer eat certain foods. We have to let go of them, no matter how much we may desire them. In this sense, tragedies can, in time, be seen as blessings.
Carmelite Spirituality is known for its explanations of this spiritual process of letting go and letting God. Mother Luisita’s spiritual direction, likewise, offers suggestions. For example, she writes, “Do you want Our Lord to communicate with you? Then try to preserve unity and peace with everyone who lives under the same roof. Make it a point to entertain yourself with things pertaining to God. Keep yourself in healthy fear, guarding the doors of your senses. Ask for the grace to know and overcome the obstacles that oppose a greater union with God.” It is only in overcoming and letting go of these obstacles that we can truly love God with our whole heart, mind, and strength.
