Seeking Jesus because you need him and seeking Jesus because you love him can be complementary aspects of our relationship to Christ. However, seeking Jesus (as did the crowds in today’s gospel) only because you need him and require his help is indicative of a still one-sided and immature relationship that lacks the mutuality of true love and friendship. And thus it is when Christ doesn’t seem to meet our needs or heed our pleas for help that the true nature of our relationship with him is manifested and we are tempted to seek him no more. And so although seeking Jesus because of our neediness may mark the beginnings of our relationship with him, our relationship will only grow deeper when we recognize that our deepest need is not to be helped by him, but to be loved by him.
Michael says
I would think that the love of Jesus is unconditional. Although it is said “to have a good friend, you need to be a good friend.” Thanks
Kathleen Mitchell says
Thank you for writing so eloquently. This speaks to me so well today. It comes at a time when so many say they have no need to believe in him, and they do not believe in him. My Dad graduated from the Catholic seminary, and because his own father died before he was born: the church was his true father. I am at an age where I am truly afraid of what losing him, as it becomes more likely, will do to me spiritually. I think the natural inclination is to turn and ask for our Lord’s help. Now, I would like to consider just being loved.