The Burr in the Burgh

The Buddha said that all of life is suffering and that all suffering is caused by desire. If that's the case, then the only two ways to eradicate suffering would be to either strive to fulfill one's desires or to eliminate desire altogether.

I can't help but think the ol' boy was on to something here. Obviously, the Buddhist route to eliminating desire by eliminating the ego is absurd. But isn't it true, at least much of the time, that the pain we feel is the result of not having what we want? In the words of that other great philosophical sage, Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want" and "I can't get no satisfaction."

St. Augustine (a much more reliable source) stumbled onto a similar truism when he prayed, "Our hearts are restless, O Lord, till they rest in you."

We want. We desire. We crave. We lack. We need. We hunger and thirst. We lust. We envy. You get the point. And much of what we desire can be good wholesome stuff. We suffer because we want a more intimate emotional bond with our spouses. We suffer because we miss our children. We suffer because we want to be free of cancer or worry or debt.

Finding contentment in God is easier said than done. Each day you need to kneel before the Creator and acknowledge your emptiness before Him. Learn and meditate upon His promises. These will fill you up. Gather to receive the Eucharist often. The Bread from heaven will sate your hunger. And you will confess, with David, the Lord is your shepherd and you shall lack nothing.

You heard about the British Airways employee who was forbidden to wear a cross necklace? After a storm of criticism, the BA has reversed their decision. See here.