If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desire not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, we are like ignorant children who want to continue making mud pies in a slum because we cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a vacation at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Summary

In this quote, the author suggests that the promises of rewards in the Gospels exceed our wildest expectations. However, instead of fully embracing these promises and seeking infinite joy, humans settle for temporary pleasures like indulging in material desires or worldly ambitions. The author compares our limited desires to those of ignorant children playing in a dirty neighborhood while being oblivious to the offer of a getaway by the sea. Therefore, the quote implies that we often settle for lesser joys because we fail to grasp the magnitude of the transcendent happiness available to us.

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