What does God want?

Moderation in all things, including moderation, means simply that we should order the reception of goods according to just about any other criteria than our desires, we may tend in a direction in light of our desires, but we are led astray if we do not consider objective reality in our efforts. Let us also mention God calls us to love Him and there is nothing that matters any more than that relationship, then we shall love others, and then we shall be concerned with our will/desires. It should also be noted that our relationship with God and others is heavily influenced by our interior virtues and vices, thus while loving the two external entities (God and neighbor), we will have to take care of our real needs healing, sleep, food, prayer, community, etc. A proper understanding of moderation (practical acceptable variance) and our call to love rightly have one thing in common and it is what God wants which of course corresponds to what is our good (John 4:32-34, 6:38, 5:30; Luke 22:42). When we ask what the will of God is, it seems we ask at least one of two things "how do I be the best I can be?", and/or "what does God want me to do in this situation?". Whatever we do clearly must do those things with love (subjectively) and be detached, virtuous, and conformed to truth. The truth is we are to be obedient to the Father’s will. We can read that in light of an angry parent or a tyrannical leader or supervisor that keeps you ignorant and what you desire has no relevance. This is wrong. God wants us to be free, but we like to imagine our freedom being equal to His or even greater than His. This too is wrong and even dangerous (CCC 397). Jesus is free to do as we all are, but what does He want? To love and to be loved (order is implied int his love), which is simply the Father's will. This Will accomplishes for us everything we need and even some which we cannot know that we need(ed). We must be moderate only to follow the call to love because there are times this love will demand things of us (mission) that seem impossible if we remain attached to the fleeting shadows which are finite goods. 

Let us consider, that this post brings a connection between the moderation of earthly goods and the nature of God's calling us to love. Let us first focus on why moderation is desirable for itself, and then we share be concerns about how love requires order. We are inclined toward the good, however, we experience deficits and excesses of almost every good in this life. Truth be told, in either case, the good is depreciated. Moderation can produce the greatest good without either detriment. This is realized one morefold in the context of our spiritual good. After all, we are rational creatures in an ordered universe, which means if we are to truly live in harmony with it, we must be ordered about our lives, even immaterial goods like loving our neighbor. Personally, I have loved others more than myself and it introduces a framework destined for failure. When it comes to willing goods for others, I may misjudge what is actually right for them because I don't know what is right for me. I have over-stepped boundaries, etc. and this has undermined my having good intent this is because I was immoderate in my desire to love them and also in myself (in excess and deficit, respectively).

Next, it is clear that there is a connection between how one engages with goods and their understanding of love or at least the understanding of one's praxis suggests. If morality and mission is that which love demands of use and we consider love a fundamental part of partaking in a good existence, then we will find that love properly understood must have an ordination to it. We are not God, our love is not capable of anything salvific unless it is truly a reflection of God's love. If it is a reflection of God's love and it seems we are commanded to desire this (John 15:12), we must love people enough to encourage them toward perfection and at least prior, if not also in the process we must be able to love with tenderness. Love always answers the question of what God wants if done correctly. This can only be done correctly if we have a correct prioritization of goods, with appropriate boundaries, and directed toward the singular end of salvation for all involved, informed by the commands of Christ and the Ten Commandments which reveal the boundaries of that love. Love is something that for us takes much refinement to do perfectly and although this effort is necessary, we cannot conclude at any point that we (fallen creatures) have achieved all that we can there.

In conclusion, although there is a significant moral direction here, the truth is we are made to/for love. There is nothing morality demands of us that love does not, and often, to a greater/clearer extent. The content of this post in many ways answers the question of what ought to be done and it is clear that this is what our flourishing consists in i.e. love and moderation. This ordered way of life allows for adjustments and yet remains foundational. Moreover, we have answered the question of what God would have us choose between goods and evils, clearly goods and a moderate and loving approach to all things in an ordered framework. God wills us to be human beings fully alive precisely in these ways (John 10:10). If you are discerning between two good things click here for further considerations, but often love and moderation are the answer to the minor/immediate decisions which have little but real implications on the content of our lives. "You, Almighty God, become one with our lowliness, to transform us into Yourself, and to unite the creature with the Creator... O my God, the more You see by our actions that the words we use when speaking to You are not words of mere politeness, the more You draw us to Yourself and raise us above all petty earthly things. Not content with having made our soul one with Yourself, You begin to cherish it and to reveal Your secrets to it.. at this very moment, O Lord, I consecrate my will to You, freely and unreservedly!" (of. T.J. Way, 32).

Written by Carter Carruthers & also available soon at Missio Dei