Divine Mercy Sunday
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me.”  Scriptural images are most helpful to us and enable us to see, identify with, and more readily understand our relationship with God.  They provide us with an opportunity to consider how we respond and determine if our responses, whether in thought, feeling, action, words, desires or deeds, properly correspond in right relationship as the relationship was created and designed to be.  For example, the image of God as a nurturing caring parent, a faithful spouse, a divine healer and physician or the Good Shepherd or Samaritan.  Do we respond as beloved children who attentively listen and remain lovingly obedient?  Are we faithful in fidelity to our baptismal covenant and wedding vows? Do we give God permission to heal us from the effects of our sinfulness or provide the remedy for moments we were unkind or lacked charity? One of the scriptural images that may challenge us in our view of right relationship with God is the image of the potter and the clay.  What is helpful to note is that the clay belongs to the potter and that the potter does all the work.  The clay must remain open, vulnerable, flexible, trusting that God as the Potter will make the clay into something or someone that is worthwhile, most needed, helpful, useful, functional, productive, valuable, beautiful, priceless, unique, one-of-a-kind, good and awesome. God provides all the tools.  He has all the necessary supplies.  He has the vision, the mission, the strategy, the objective. It is his idea.  He created it.  He creates the purpose, the need and the desired outcome.  He formulates the plan and does all the work. God does not need to know how to do something correctly. God is perfect.  God does not need us to remind him how to do something or when to do something.  God is faithful, reliable and can be trusted.  God does not need input on how to create you. God has done this before many times and is the best at it.  No one can create like God, that is, out of nothing. Trust that God has this.  God truly cares for you, wills your happiness and desires what is best for you.  Trust that God knows what he is doing.  Remind yourself of that.  Have faith and confidence in God.  Everything he makes is very good. He made you. You belong to him. Let him chisel away what is not helpful or useful and make you beautiful again, his masterpiece. Jesus, I trust in you.

Reflections from the Heart – April 20, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - April 20, 2025
The Resurrection of the Lordby Fr. Ivan Olmo “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.” Perhaps ...

Reflections from the Heart – April 13, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - April 13, 2025
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lordby Fr. Ivan Olmo “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” ...

Reflections from the Heart – April 6, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - April 6, 2025
5th Sunday of Lentby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider ...

Reflections from the Heart – March 30, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - March 30, 2025
Fourth Sunday of Lentby Fr. Ivan Olmo “God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry ...

Reflections from the Heart – March 23, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - March 23, 2025
Third Sunday of Lentby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” Sometimes ...

Reflections from the heart – March 16, 2025

Reflections from the heart - March 16, 2025
Second Sunday of Lentby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.” Away ...

Reflections from the Heart – March 9, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - March 9, 2025
First Sunday of Lentby Fr. Ivan Olmo “For to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard ...

Reflections from the Heart – March 2, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - March 2, 2025
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Every tree is known by its own fruit.” One of the most ...

Reflections from the Heart – February 23, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - February 23, 2025
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “The first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam a ...

Reflections from the Heart – February 16, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - February 16, 2025
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is ...

Reflections from the Heart – February 9, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - February 9, 2025
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “By the grace of God I am what I am.” Once a ...

Reflections from the Heart – February 2, 2025

Reflections from the Heart - February 2, 2025
Feast of the Presentation of the Lordby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!” ...