Reflections from the Heart – August 4, 2024

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit…” At times, we can be so overly worried and concerned with our own desires, our own desired outcomes, and our own way of doing things that we are unable to see other possibilities or consider other ways of getting the work done. We think and come to believe there is no other way, no better way than trusting in ourselves. We can become so intently centered and solely dependent on ourselves to the point of being needy and relying only on ourselves, needing only ourselves to either resolve, fix or control the necessary outcome to obtain the necessary result we desire and know and think is best. Who better to fix it than you, your reliable self? Ever so interiorly consumed and narrowly focused on ourselves that at times we can fail to see the hand of God at work and fail to experience the grace of his divine assistance, healing and mercy. We become so interested in ourselves and ever so disinterested in our surroundings that we lose touch with God’s presence in our midst, present to those who rely and call upon his name. We become interiorly fixated on our past or infatuated with our distant future leaving the current grace filled moment ignored, tossed to the side and left all alone. We render God and the current moment helpless because we are so hopelessly devoted to our old selves and our own way of doing things. We would rather be or become independently self-reliant and remain confident in our former way of life adhering strictly to our own way of doing things. That is to say, we live and die by the motto, “if you want it done right, do it yourself.” God on the other hand would want us to consider the redemptive way, the unwavering truth, and the eternal life his beloved Son Jesus has won for us giving us a helping hand, a faithful friend, a sturdy shelter, a trusted companion. Jesus brings a new perspective, a new way of accomplishing things. New doorways, new opportunities, new possibilities for nothing is impossible for God. Jesus is a new day, a new life, a new way of resolving our difficulties and obtaining the answer to our prayer. He is here to help, to assist with our desires and needs. A friend you can rely and depend upon. So put on your new self and trust in God.