C.S. Lewis once said that Christians could be blamed not for desiring too much, but too little! The Old Testament was not afraid to portray the relationship between Israel and God in the language of passion and desire. The beautiful words of the Song of Songs - 'Come my beloved' - are used by the Jewish people to welcome the Sabbath, which is called the Queen. Christian mystics adopted the same imagery in their depiction of the relationship between God and the soul of the believer.

The mere nearness of the Mother of the Lord is enough to make John the Baptist leap in joyful anticipation. Elizabeth breaks into joyful praise and exultation. Can we say that our own faith is characterized by this sense of joy and yearning? Or is it duty and burden? Often our restlessness and yearning for something we cannot name is in reality a desire for God. Our religion must not become a cold and bloodless exercise; as believers we should be in love with God and moved by holy desires. Our desire for God, as well as for justice and peace, should be marked by the same loving intensity. The yearning of our hearts will continue to carry us forward throughout the difficulties of our lives. In our prayer to God, let us speak the language of the heart.