“God Doesn’t Dwell Here”
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Today is the Feast Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. At Mass this morning, the priest narrates a story about St. Ambrose, a theologian and statesman who lived as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397 A.D.
The story goes something like this:
St. Ambrose and his deacon were traveling on foot and stopped to rest at the home of a pious farmer. The farmer and his wife were pleased to see their bishop and prepared a great feast for him.
During dinner, St. Ambrose asked the farmer, “So, how is your health?”
The farmer said, “Excellent, no illnesses.”
“And how is your wife?”
“She’s in excellent health also.”
“And how are your children?”
“They are all well,” the farmer said, “and very intelligent.”
“And how is your farm doing?”
“Oh, excellent,” the farmer said. “I’ve had a bountiful harvest and am building new barns to hold all the crops.”
At that point, St. Ambrose stood up and said to his deacon, “We must leave this place. God does not dwell here.”
I am shocked. Supposedly, this farmer was a devout Christian—so why wouldn’t God dwell in his home? What’s wrong with doing well in life? What’s wrong with enjoying good health and good fortune?
The Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV has an answer:
The Cross is not just the symbol of Christianity, it is the essence of Christianity. Every Orthodox Christian wears a cross around his neck and would never be without his cross. There is an old Russian saying when someone misbehaves: “He acts like he doesn’t have a cross.” […] It is precisely through the cross that we find Christ. It is impossible to follow Christ without carrying the cross—impossible.
After all, the rich young man from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark did keep all of the Commandments. But when it came time to give up his riches and follow Jesus—that is, to take up his cross—he balked at the severity of the proposal.
As the Holy Cross article states:
But Christ didn’t incarnate so that we could live a comfortable life free of all illness and be a financial success. […] Real life, the authentic life that Christ has taught us and lived Himself, is made very clear in the Gospel: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
The Precious Cross of Christ is a paradox:
It is precisely in dying to ourselves that we are reborn.
It is through dying to ourselves that we find our true self, made in the image and likeness of God.
It is through dying to ourselves that we are finally able to love God and others.
It is through dying to ourselves that we finally find peace and true joy.
It is through dying to ourselves that we are no longer obsessed with ourselves!
By accepting the cross, we no longer fear suffering or death. By dying to ourselves, carrying our cross, and following Christ, we can become one with Him.
Another simple yet hard-to-follow lesson—but one we’ll all have to learn.
[EDIT: I dug up and finished up this particular blog post today, on December 7… which, as I’m just finding out, is the Feast Day of St. Ambrose!!! What are the odds? Again, VatiGod, you’re absolutely amazing.]