Reflections from the Heart – January 2, 2022

The Epiphany of the Lord
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more.” Our spiritual lives play out in the rhythm of the Liturgical Year. We live in concert with the changes of the seasons as we welcome the birth of the Christ Child, celebrate new life through him, honor his Passion and Death, then celebrate the joy of his Resurrection, his Ascension into heaven and await his glorious return. Our lives seem to follow a similar pattern. Christmas brings us the joy of something new.  A new day, a new life, a new year, new possibilities, a fresh new start. Ordinary Time brings us the opportunity to learn more, to grow more, to better develop our Catholic faith and our Christian identity. Lent is a season to become less outward and more inward. It is a time to detach more, to pray more, to reflect more and to reevaluate our lives.  It is a great opportunity to take an introspective look within our hearts and within our lives and determine what is hurtful and not helpful to our spiritual lives. It is an opportunity to let go. To be stripped of the things that distract us, that harm our spiritual growth and that keep us from more fully living out our living and dying in Christ. It is the definitive time of the year to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus to Jerusalem. It is there where we mourn and suffer the hurt and effects of our sin. It is a moment of joyous hope and joyful expectation at the thought of being transformed through God’s grace into the risen Christ. We conclude the year by taking a retrospective look back to measure how we did. We identify what needs to change and determine if we are better prepared for the moment when Christ comes again in all his glory. The entire year is most important and critical to our spiritual journey. But in a special way we hold Holy Week close to our hearts as a the most sacred part of the Liturgical Year and the Season of Grace. It is at the heart of our Christian faith. In the institution of the Holy Eucharist, we come to understand the source and summit of our faith. Jesus literally becoming food for us. Not just spiritual food but “True Food and True Drink” for the journey. As we enter into this New Year, let us make each day a new day, a new beginning, a new life in Christ.