"Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me."

You are constantly after my heart, dearest Jesus.  The more I obey your command to listen the more constantly I hear your gentle knocking, asking me if you may enter my inner rooms.  Not just on the outer door do you knock but on the secret, inner recesses as well.  You have created each human heart as your own dwelling place then endowed it with a free will, requiring you to then ask the permission of your own dwelling if you may enter.  Such is the mystery of love that it seeks a free response from the beloved.

How many there are who do not understand this mystery.  How long I have been apart from it.  I hear you knock and invite you in to more and more rooms but there are always more.  The transformation of a Christian takes so long.  Because when I invite you in to enjoy the repose of your indwelling, like Mary, you ask me to be present to you as you are present to me.  "Abide in me as I abide in you." (John 15.4)  It is not enough to enjoy your presence, you want to enjoy mine.  How do I love you back?  How do I abide in you so our communion may be complete?

"Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." (John 14.23)  "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love." (John 15.10)  Obedience is such a fundamental part of love's mystery that it is required even of you: "I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." (John 15.10)  Therefore I can obey because you obey and show me how.  I can love because you love the Father and love me.  "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4.19)