three dollars worth of God

Today's homily started off with a quote from today's responsorial psalm (Lord when your glory appears, my joy will be full.)  and something along these lines: 

I'd like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.  

Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep.  

I want just enough to equal a cup of warm milk.  

Not enough to take control of my life.

I want ecstasy, not transformation.   

Not enough to change my heart.  

I want the warmth of the womb, but not a new birth.

I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack.

I'd like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.

I'd never heard that before.  Never gotten it in one of those forwarded emails that has made it around the world 74 times.  So it caught my attention.  It so neatly sums up what we try to do with God.  We try to control Him, to keep Him in a box, to get Him to do what we want, instead of letting Him transform and convert us into what He wants us to be.

We don't really like it when we are called to leave our comfort zones.  Really, God?  You want me to pray for HER?  You want me do what?  Go to confession?  More than once a year?  Serve you how?  Are you sure?  Now?   Forgive who?   But that's not what *I* had in mind.  I will be the first to admit that I am guilty.  I want the easy road.  Not the way of the cross.  We want to participate in the resurrection, but not so much in the crucifixion.

But if we truly want to follow Jesus, three dollars worth of God is not nearly enough!  I need way more than $3 worth of God!