Reflections from the Heart – April 23, 2023

Third Sunday of Easter
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts burn while you speak to us.”  I am often amazed and filled with such wonder when God uses us, all of us as his holy instruments to gather his light and wisdom, to record the responses of his love to our prayers and to become the scroll and journal he uses to document his sacred life-giving word.  God uses us to reveal his presence and to provide to others gentle reminders of the healing power and lifesaving remedy his word brings to those who are open to it, attentive to his voice or ready for the life changing truth his word always brings. God uses us in a helpful and spiritual way as his holy instruments to recite his words to those who need to hear them, to respond for him to those who trustingly cry out to him and to recall the efficacy his life-giving gifts bring to the broken hearted, poor in spirit, sin sick sinner.  God graciously includes us and faithfully calls upon each of us to capture his insights for those who have become deaf to his presence and to announce his sacred word and share his divine message to those who are unable to partake in his holy inspiration. God wants to use us to bring hope and healing to those who faithfully and trustingly cry out to him in their need but do not know how to pray or have exhausted the patience to do so. God uses us in such a good way that we can become holy instruments in his hand which can bring light and love and newness of life to those who seriously need him.  God’s words can burn inside of us as a purifying fire that burns away all that is useless or not helpful in building up his presence and kingdom inside of us and outside of us as well.  God’s word heals brokenness caused by our own foolishness and the brokenness caused by the selfishness of others. God’s word is like a gentle fire that radiates warmth that is comforting and consoling and provides a soft gentle glow providing light for direction and insight for instruction.  God’s word is often compared to a seed that needs a little heat and fire to break it open and to blaze like a furnace that it may spread and grow.  Open your heart and life to Scripture. God will speak, lighten your darkness, melt away your sadness and set your heart ablaze.