Do You Need Help With That? No, I Can Do It Myself!

I always joked that if you wanted to make a guy 10 times stronger all you need are 2 things.  Have a woman in the room and ask him if he needs any help moving a heavy object!  Their automatic reaction is to say, "No, I got this"! 

In a certain way we all have that reaction in us.  It is a sign of our free will.  It is a sign of our independence, to be  self-sufficient.  Isn't that the goal of most people; to get to a point to be able to provide for themselves and for their families?

We understand freedom and independence, but God gives us these gifts for one thing: to Love.  This involves, however, surrendering ourselves to the Other!  Christ reveals that in his very life!  Jesus, who is God and who is truly free (He can do what ever He wants) reveals to us how to live.  Jesus Christ didn't choose to live a life for Himself, but solely for His Father in Heaven and for US!  His entire life was a gift to other! And in by laying down His life for us, He reveals God's design for us!

The problem in our culture is that we get the whole freedom and independence part, but struggle with surrender and living a life for others!  I love the following quote:

Almighty God can complete anyone He pleases. But God desires that we depend on each other, and what anyone does not have in himself, he finds in the other. Thus, humility is preserved, love increased, and unity realized. ~ St. Aelred

If we are called to be united with God through the Body of Christ, then that can only happen if we surrender our free will back to God by serving Him and our neighbor.  Free will and independence is only beautiful when it is lived in love, lived in surrender.  Let's ask the Lord for the grace to surrender our lives to Him and those we meet this day!