Pentecost Sunday
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”  The heart and foundation of Ignatian Spirituality is simple.  It relies on the principle that God in his great love, desiring nothing more than to share himself, created us that we may have a share in his goodness, therefore enjoy his friendship and happiness for all eternity.  Finding God in all things becomes our life long goal. Once we find God and are in God’s presence, we can forget ourselves, our hurts, our pains, our past and current sufferings and truly be present to God who is presence himself.  When we are truly present to God and truly, with him without hesitation, reservation, fear or resistance we are in need of nothing more than what God has graciously offered us, the gift of his endless joy, the grace of perpetual peace and the profound healing that leads us and brings us reconciliation.  God graciously provides the true gifts we need, desire and long for more than honor, riches, wealth, titles, fortune and fame.   The gift and fruits of the Holy Spirit are most helpful for our journey.  They inspire and encourage us to live a life of blessedness, which is joyful, and not a life of unforgiveness, which is sorrowful.  Ignatius of Loyola informs us and invites us to consider there are two spirits that are always at work within us, as well as within the world, competing to get our attention. The good spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, gently draws us, attracts us and leads us to find God in all things, people and circumstances, therefore encountering joy, healing, love, hope, blessedness, faith. The Holy Spirit floods us in difficult situations and even floods us in joyful celebrations with his gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and counsel, helping us to better understand what is happening, shedding light on why people are yelling, so angry, overacting or hurting, so we can better respond in a way that is helpful, useful and not hurtful. The bad spirit, the Devil, forcefully distracts us and even spiritually snatches us away from God, causing us grief, sorrow, heartache, headaches and pain.  The enemy robs us of goodness and interior joy and then draws us to encounter darkness, turmoil, desolation, depression and negative emotions that cause us to want and pursue disordered desires that wound us.  The good spirit helps us to forgive and forget, giving us lasting joy and freedom.  The bad spirit makes us slaves of unforgiveness and there is no joy in that.

Reflections from the Heart – October 6, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - October 6, 2024
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to ...

Reflections from the Heart – September 29, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - September 29, 2024
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant; let it not rule over ...

Reflections from the Heart – September 22, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - September 22, 2024
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul ...

Reflections From the Heart – September 15, 2024

Reflections From the Heart - September 15, 2024
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear; and I ...

Reflections from the Heart – September 8, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - September 8, 2024
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Thus says the LORD: Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be ...

Reflections from the Heart – September 1, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - September 1, 2024
Twenty-secondSunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above.” Our Lord is ...

Reflections from the Heart – August 25, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - August 25, 2024
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" At ...

Reflections from the Heart – August 18, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - August 18, 2024
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats ...

Reflections from the Heart – August 11, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - August 11, 2024
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from ...

Reflections from the Heart – August 4, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - August 4, 2024
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “You should put away the old self of your former way of ...

Reflections from the Heart – July 28, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - July 28, 2024
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with ...

Reflections from the Heart – July 21, 2024

Reflections from the Heart - July 21, 2024
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Timeby Fr. Ivan Olmo “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” ...
The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.