Reflections from the Heart – December 10, 2023

Second Sunday of Advent
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“The Lord is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  One of the most amazing gifts you can give to yourself this season is to be honest with yourself and to listen to how you really sound, what you really say and what you really mean.  Listening to our true interior voice and listening with intent to the true sounds of our thoughts is the beginning of a true examination of conscience and being honest to what our hearts and wounds have to say to us.  Honesty is true to the core of our nature and being.  You are created in truth.  However, somewhere along the way, dishonesty has become a way of life for us. How unfortunate that life truly is. We deceive others and even deceive ourselves.  We believe a lie can be beneficial, helpful, useful, less complicated and less hurtful than telling the truth.  Be honest, do you truly believe that? Do you really believe that lying to an individual will help you and help them in our journey to heaven and helpful in our relationship with God?  Do we truly listen to ourselves with an honest and sincere ear and believe saying a lie is better than telling the truth?  Did you listen carefully to the Lord and hear Jesus when he said the truth would set you free? Do you believe that?  Do you believe what Jesus says or have you come to believe that God has somehow lied or deceived you?  This season is a great season to come to the Lord with truth and honesty and not to be afraid to bring to him your lies, your hurts, your misdeeds and all your mistrust that he may heal you.  The Lord is so patient with you.  He truly wants you to repent that you might be free from sin and deception and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God for we are children of light not of darkness. Of truth and not of lies.  Being patient with ourselves, with the Lord and with others paves the way to the healing we truly need and hope for and that is a great and amazing gift.  Patience heals division and begins to mend stressful situations.  Patience heals anger, frustration, and the impatience, which grows in us when we are unable to change an individual’s words and behaviors or when we are unable to control a desired outcome.  Be patient and repent.  The Lord is patiently waiting for you.