Waiting for God

I guess when one is ready for certain changes in one's life God leads us to those things that will best facilitate that change. Simone Weil has been a catalyst for a major change in my life. Her writings have struck a responsive chord in my life. Although some of her writings are difficult for me to understand, the underlying message is powerful. I found myself relating to her desire to discover the love of God in her life. I appreciated her soul searching honesty is wanting that encounter to be completely without deception, pretense or even pride. She so wanted to guard against a false religious experience, or siimply a social religious experience. Her descriptions of what it is to truly love another are profound. Her life is a journey that I want to follow. I looked up the meaning of her name in the dictionary. It means "one who hears." Certainly, she is one who sought to hear the voice of God. I, too, want to hear the voice of God without deception or pride. I honor Simone as a true religious teacher for me.

This remarkable story of Simone Weil, a well-schooled, well-bred woman, who left all this behind to live an ordinary life. The road she followed is similar to St.Francis of Asissi, Mother Teresa and Gandhi. Simone Weil chose to live a dull, hardworking, life of poverty. In sickness unto death, she never remised from her choice of being where she believed she could do the most with her life. One realizes that Simone must have had something missing in her life to go searching in this manner, to leave her well ordered, social life behind and go into the depths of humanity. She literally allowed herself to be Christ to all she met, to bring God's heart to His people. Simone knew the true meaning of love and compassion, sometimes maybe to extremes. She gave with her whole heart, soul and body, not asking for anything in return. That is the true test of love. To love one another as He loved us.

No one writes of the ancient conundrum of why a loving God allows suffering more profoudly than Simone Weil. Indeed, "profound" is the word I would use to describe this book. You do not read this book, you experience it; and come to a state of awe and yes, even love for this extraordinary saint of our times. The paradox of Weil is that in her severe view of life, great solace is to be found--the solace of truth and wisdom when you know, indeed, feel you have encountered it. In conclusion, let me paraphrase the author: it is impossible to think about Simone Weil without thinking about God. Amen.