Salvation of souls

Only the Empty Can Contain God 
A Reflection Inspired by Jesus to Cecil

“If you know yourself truly—worthless we are.”

This is not despair—it is the holy doorway into divine intimacy. It is the knowledge that the saints fell to their knees to receive: without God, we are nothing. This is not insult—it is truth.

St. Catherine of Siena was told by the Father:
“I am He who is, and you are she who is not.”

And yet, in that self-emptying, she became full of the fire of God.

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“Then you will know God.”

To know the self as dust is to see God as All. As you descend in humility, you ascend in knowledge of God. The smaller the self becomes, the larger God appears.

St. Augustine prayed:
“Lord, let me know myself, that I may know You.”

Self-knowledge opens the door to divine knowledge.

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“Worthy of our love are we then to receive the love.”

Once we see that we are unworthy, then we are ready to receive Love as it is: a gift, not a reward. This is not pride—it is poor-in-spirit humility, the condition of being truly loved by a God who gives Himself to the lowly.

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“How can our selfish love and His Agape Love coexist? Impossible.”

Self-love seeks self. Agape Love pours itself out.

One must die.

Self-love protects the ego. Agape dies on the Cross.

Self-love seeks admiration. Agape seeks nothing but union.

Jesus said: “You cannot serve two masters.” (Matthew 6:24)

You cannot host both self and God. One must surrender.

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“We have to be empty to receive His Pure Love.”

Mary’s womb was empty—so it received the Word made Flesh.

The cave at Bethlehem was poor—so it was chosen for glory.

The Cross was empty of comfort—so it was full of redemption.

“He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

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Summary:

– Self-knowledge → Humility
– Emptiness → Capacity for Love
– Selfishness dies → Agape lives
– Unworthiness accepted → Grace received

This is the Gospel path. The death of self is the birth of divine love.

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Prayer:

“O God,
Empty me of self—my opinions, pride, and noise.
Make space in me for You.
Let not my selfish love coexist with Your divine Agape.
I want You, not myself.
Let my worth be in You alone.
If I am dust, breathe Your Spirit into me.
If I am nothing, make me a vessel of Your All.
Amen.”