Spiritual Emptiness

January 7, Saturday of the Christmas Week
Daily readings: 1st John 5: 14-21; Gospel: John 2: 1-11
 
Nearby stood six empty stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons (John 2:6).
 
Like an empty jar without wine on the first part of his life before conversion St. Augustine passed through an experience of spiritual emptiness. Despite his mother's warnings, Augustine lived a hedonistic lifestyle as a youth and became a Manichaean, which denied God's omnipotence. The spiritual emptiness of Augustine was further extended when he began a relationship with a young woman in Carthage even while Monica his mother warned him of the sin of fornication.

But Augustine persisted in the relationship for over fifteen years. But St. Monica tried to fill the heart of Augustin without God like an empty jar by offering tireless prayers and countless sacrifices for the conversion. Finally, God transformed Augustin into "choice wine," and he went on to become a priest, bishop, saint, and doctor of the church.
 
In salvific projects distribution of jobs is very clear. The work of transformation is God’s. The servants who fill the jars represent all of us who are supposed to be at the service of God, and therefore our duty is 'filling jars'. Interior conversion is God’s work.
It is our faith that prompts us to do humble services, trusting that God will use our efforts for the kingdom, although we might not see the changes happening.

There are so many people among us who are like empty jars namely sinners, alcohol-and-drug addicts, murderers, criminals, etc. Filling their hearts with the love and mercy of God is transformative. Amen.