Every Christian would agree that a person's spiritual health is directly proportional to their love for God. But a person's love for God, by its nature, must primarily, and often entirely, be a love of need.

This is evident when we seek forgiveness for our sins or support in our suffering. But in the long term, it may be even more apparent in our growing - for it must be growing - awareness that our entire existence is inherently an immense need; imperfect, preparatory, empty, and at the same time burdened, having a desperate need for Him who can untangle what is knotted and set right what is pending.

I do not say that a person can offer nothing to God but the absolute love of need. Our blessed souls show us that they reach far higher than that. However, I think they would be the first to show us that such heights would cease to be true divine grace and would end up as Neoplatonic or ultimately diabolical illusions, once someone dared to think that they could live with them and thereby cast off the element of need.

“The highest,” says the Imitation, “does not stand without the lowest.” Only a brazen and foolish creature would stand before its creator boasting, “I am not a beggar. I love you selflessly.” Those who draw closer to love offered to God, immediately after, may even at the same moment, strike and expose their neediness before the only one who truly offers generously.

And He, God, will accept it. He addresses our love of need: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden” or in the Old Testament “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”