Claret manifests here his deep Christ centeredness that is vital essence in the existence in the whole being of the Lord´s disciple. It doesn´t mean that he is not fully appreciating the realities of this life, such as the mixed realities made into difficulties and consolations (God permits everything!), but it means that he was very much aware of the aim towards which we are journeying, and so, all that we do become meaningful for us, that is, our meeting with the Lord. The great missionary spoke and wrote a lot about heaven. How is that he did not place his eyes in this glorious aim! On the other side, taking into account his vocation, he perceives that his ecclesial services are practically fulfilled.
But even in this, Claret is not aware of simply “the use” or advantage (glory, mercy…..) that he can receive from his dedication, but on the pure and simple contemplation of his Beloved: Jesus Christ. He had and he has Jesus as his centre and not in himself. He reminds us of those anonymous poetic versus of 16th century, which some one attributed to St. Therese of Jesus, “Neither the heaven that you have promised me nor the so terrifying hell move me to love you, my God and so, allowing me to offend you. You move me, Lord, to see you nailed and scoffed at the cross; you move me to see your body very much wounded; your affronts and your death move me. Finally your love moves me and it moves me in such a way that even if there wouldn´t be heaven, I would love you and even if there wouldn´t be hell, I would have my fear for you. You need not tell me why you would love me, for even if I wait what I wouldn´t expect, I love as you as much as I would like you.
Does Christ take the central place in my life or rather, do I have other vested interests and who knows, even silly desires? Though I accept the reality in which I have to live, do I live from the hope of the glory and the final and eternal embrace with God?