Reflections from the Heart – August 6, 2023

Transifuguration of the Lord
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here.”  What is good and how would you define good to a child or to a person who has been suffering an illness for such a long time or to a person who is grieving the loss of a spouse, a family member or a friend?  How would you show to another individual that you are good and the fruits that come from your works are good, holy, and pleasing to the Father? Are you good and would someone else say so?  Will another individual be willing and able to describe you and your good works and give witness to the good that is inside of you?  Are your words good? Do you have good thoughts? Is what you eat truly good for you, for your health, for your family?  Good is simply an extension of God as we say, God is good all the time and all the time God is good.  God is the essence of goodness.  God is the source of all that is good and all that is good comes and flows from God.  All that God does is very good and very good for us.  However, consider how Jesus replied to the would be disciple who called him Good Teacher.  Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good?” Then Jesus went on to say, “No one is good but God alone.” What does that mean to you and how does that make you feel when Jesus acknowledges that God alone is good?  Are you happy and relieved because you think that excuses you from being good and gives you the excuse to be bad or does it cause you to want to pray and ask God for the grace to be good, holy and true as God is good, holy and true?  If only God is good, does that make us bad? Unheard of! All that God creates is good.  Even scripture testifies, “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.” Even in the Eucharistic Prayer during Mass we hear, “through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the word all that is good.” God is good and so are you.  We might say God created us very good however, sometimes the things we say, do or watch are not good for us or our family.  We are not bad; we were created good, to be good all the time. However, at times, our choices, words and behavior are not so good.