Reflections from the Heart – August 14, 2022

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me. The LORD heard my cry.” Lord, who am I that I should capture your heart and even deserve just one beat of your tender heart? Who am I that you should even care for me, trouble yourself for me or even let a flashing thought be wasted on me? How can one even merit the blessing of your undivided attention or earn in any way the privilege of being in your holy presence or even be rewarded with the grace to inhale the blessed fragrance of your love or be consumed by the unquenchable longing and desire of your heart? Why have you set your lovely gaze upon me? Why do you allow your goodness and light and your penetrating vision filled with such beauty and glory to look upon one who has been so disfigured by sin, defiled by emotions, broken by pride and greed and is merely ash and dust, ground and dirt, soil and gravel? How can the One who is most beautiful and perfectly timeless spend even a fleeting moment in time to look down from the highest heaven towards one like me who is less than a breath, smaller than a grain of dirt, most insignificant in every way? Your love is amazing Lord. You look so far beyond our sin and gaze into the eyes and the heart of the poor sinful sinner. Your love is so beyond our comprehension, so beyond our imagination, beyond words, description, and explanation yet it is so full of expression and so easily expressed and shared and communicated. Your love creates from nothing and fills everything. Your love causes things to grow, flowers to blossom, seeds to multiply, trees to bear good and everlasting fruit; sweet fruit that is most pleasing to the heart and a healing balm to the soul. Your love is beyond compare.  It restores what was ruined, heals what is wounded, makes the impossible possible.  Your love transcends all things. Your love gives life, protects life, respects life, died to give everlasting life. Your love cares for the poor, the little, the vulnerable, the lonely, the unloved, the stranger. Your love moves mountains, moves hearts, can even move our enemies. Your love can resolve all conflict, eliminate all division, eradicate hatred, fill any void. Your love Lord is so amazing. Your love is individual, particular, intimate and just for us yet it is for everyone to experience and enjoy. Thank you Lord for loving us so much.