Reflections from the Heart – May 11, 2025

Fourth Sunday of Easter
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” Have you ever experienced authentic joy? That kind of joy that is real and true joy. The kind of authentic joy that simply comes deep from within? The kind of authentic joy John the Baptist displayed in his mother’s womb upon hearing the greeting of Mary’s sweet voice and upon nearing the real presence of the Lord in the holy tabernacle of Mary’s holy body and Immaculate Heart. The kind of authentic joy Mary sang in her beautiful hymn and song of Magnificat responding with great authentic joy of being the lowly handmaid and the Mother of our Lord. The kind of authentic joy that caused the disciples to leap for great joy in knowing they were found worthy to suffer imprisonment and endure harsh words and threats from local and religious authorities for proclaiming Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead. Authentic joy is the kind of joy that is real. It is not fake or plastic and cannot be masked or covered over by a fake put on smile, or an impersonal greeting, or a fake good morning. It is simply pure joy. A pure joy that is authentic, truly from the heart, unselfish and lives in the glorious freedom of the beloved children of God. This kind of joy is seriously authentic and childlike. Not childish as in the joy we might get in pulling off the world’s funniest prank or the joy we might get in finally proving someone wrong, or the feeling and sensation we get from embarrassing a friend or foe or even the joy we might get in doing something dirty, deceitful or illegal and never getting caught. That is not joy. We cannot and can never feel good about doing harm or wrong to another. Real authentic joy seeks the good of the other. The real joy found and experienced in doing something authentically good, helpful and truly supportive to another or someone with a special need. The kind of joy we experience from truly listening to the Holy Spirit’s promptings interiorly guide, counsel and direct us from within to the joy we manifest in doing what is truly good in God’s eyes and avoiding the evil he detests. The kind of joy that causes us to sing with our Beloved Mother Mary in knowing we are so loved, have been saved, and are now called by the Good Shepherd to graciously and joyfully follow him as he leads us to authentic joy and profound holiness.