Finding Jesus (Not Nemo)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you.” Matthew 7: 7

It’s amazing the lengths that we will go to in order to find something that is important to us that we have lost. As Catholics we may even frequently call upon the intercession of St. Anthony (patron Saint of finding lost things), or in the most desperate situations, St. Jude (patron Saint of hopeless causes). Nothing is immune: keys, wallets, purses, ID’s, money, tissues (especially when your nose is really running), your shoes (right guys!), homework, cell phones, iPods, letters from teachers to parents, or any of a myriad of items that we lose each and every day. We find ourselves in these instances getting angry, worried, or stressed. And we turn our rooms, cars, book bags, lockers, etc into pig sties (if they aren’t already) trying to find the lost item in question. Nothing gets in our way: not pets, not parents, not siblings, not friends. If they aren’t jumping in with both feet to help locate the missing object, then they are just another hurdle to jump over (or knock over) in our quest. We gain tunnel vision and can see nothing but the object of our desire. Like Nemo’s dad--nothing matters but finding what we have lost.

But what if we don’t even realize that we are missing something? What if we are so blinded by the things right in front of us that we can’t see what we really need? And what if this thing is God? Maybe before you went on that retreat—you know the one: where you really gave your life to Christ? Maybe then you didn’t see your need for Jesus. Or maybe now as you read this you realize that you lost Jesus somewhere along the way, as your sins took you quietly and swiftly away from His voice and His grace. Or maybe someone who loves you showed you this blog and the Holy Spirit directed you right to this post so that you could find what your heart has always desired. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Whether you are new in your relationship with Jesus, or old and cold, or the flame is just stirring within you as you read these words—Jesus is calling you. Calling you deeper, more fully into the embrace of His love and His mercy. More deeply into intimacy with Him. To be reconciled with Him, to be in communion with Him.

What are you looking for? Where are you looking? With your whole heart and soul and mind seek Jesus. When you find Him, then you will be able to find yourself. Only then. Until that time your search will never end. As Saint Augustine once said, “Our hearts are restless O God, until they rest in You.”

Dear Jesus, help me to find you in my life, and if I already have found you, help me to keep going deeper today. Through Your grace, allow me to be an instrument to point others toward you as well. Amen.