Lesson 3: The Increasing Desire for Spiritual Things
"They that eat me shall yet hunger, and they that drink me shall yet thirst.”
1. The Difference Between Worldly and Spiritual Desires
Doctrine: Worldly goods satisfy temporarily and leave the soul empty, while spiritual goods deepen desire and fulfillment.
Key Idea:
Earthly pleasures lose value once obtained, but spiritual things grow more precious the more they are experienced.
Supporting Scriptures:
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John 4:13 — “Whoever drinks this water shall thirst again”
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Ecclesiasticus 24:29 — Desire increases through participation
Theological Principle:
Created goods cannot satisfy the soul, but divine goods continually elevate and fulfill it.
2. Experience Awakens Spiritual Desire
Doctrine: Spiritual desire grows through experience—one cannot desire what one has not tasted.
Key Idea:
Tasting God’s goodness awakens a deeper and lasting hunger for Him.
Supporting Scriptures:
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1 Peter 2:3 — “If you have tasted that the Lord is sweet”
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Psalm 34:8 — “Taste and see that the Lord is good”
Theological Principle:
Knowledge through experience leads to love—the more the soul knows God, the more it desires Him.
3. Spiritual Fulfillment Increases Desire
Doctrine: Spiritual goods uniquely satisfy while simultaneously increasing desire for more.
Key Idea:
The soul can be both filled and still longing—this is the nature of divine things.
Supporting Scriptures:
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Matthew 5:6 — “They shall be filled”
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Ecclesiasticus 24:29 — Continued hunger and thirst
Theological Principle:
Divine fulfillment is dynamic, not static—it satisfies the soul while drawing it to deeper union with God.
4. Spiritual Desire Anticipates Eternal Joy
Doctrine: The increasing desire for God on earth prepares the soul for eternal fulfillment in heaven.
Key Idea:
Spiritual growth on earth is a participation in the joy and desire of heaven.
Supporting Scriptures:
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Psalm 16:15 — Fullness in seeing God
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Revelation 14:3 — Ever new song before God
Theological Principle:
Heaven perfects desire—the soul will eternally rejoice in God with unending freshness and delight.
Applicable Reflections
Self-Examination Questionnaire:
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Do I find greater satisfaction in worldly pleasures or spiritual growth?
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Have I truly “tasted” spiritual things enough to desire them deeply?
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Do my desires for God increase over time, or remain stagnant?
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Am I allowing worldly things to dull my appetite for spiritual ones?
Spiritual Application:
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Expose yourself regularly to spiritual experiences — participate in prayer, Scripture, and reflection to “taste” deeper realities.
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Detach gradually from lesser satisfactions — consciously reduce dependence on things that weaken spiritual desire.
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Reinforce positive spiritual experiences — revisit moments where you felt close to God to strengthen desire.
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Seek depth over quantity — focus on deeper engagement in fewer practices rather than superficial engagement in many.
What does Rodriguez have to say?
"That is what the Wise Man says in these words: He that eats and drinks of me, the more he eats, the more shall he hunger after me; and the more he drinks, the more shall he thirst after me. The more you give yourself to spiritual things and to God, the more hunger and thirst after them shall you feel."
Alphonsus Rodriguez, The Practice of Perfection and Christian Virtues, trans. Joseph Rickaby, Vol. I (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1929), p. 22.