Our True Self, in its original, pure, pristine state, is identifiable with God, the Ultimate Reality that is the ground and origin of all phenomena. Our longing is who we are. In fact, that is where the longing comes from.
Longing for God and longing for our True Self are the same. The mystics and saints said that it is God, in His Holy Spirit, who is doing the longing in and through us. God implanted a natural affinity and allurement between God’s Self and God’s created image and likeness.
Religion’s purpose is to make one out of two. For us Christians, that is “the Christ Mystery,” whereby we believe God overcame the gap from God’s side.
God planted Himself in creation that longs for reunion. The biblical Song of Songs, mystics Rumi, Hafiz, Kabir, and John of the Cross could use only highly amorous images to communicate their mysticism.
Any notion of God as the “absolute other” and man-made notions of God as petty, angry, or torturing only create absolute alienation. God created similarity and compassion in the human person to overcome this tragic gap. God-in-us seeks, knows, and loves God – and the longing grows ever deeper.
Song of Solomon 7:10 “I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”
