Reflections from the Heart – May 4, 2025

Third Sunday of Easter
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” I think how often our person, our identity, the very source of our being, who we really are, is so often misunderstood, questioned, attacked and quite simply misguided and ever put to the test. Challenged and confronted in so many ways and questioned and threatened so many times by so many of his own people, Jesus faced the opposition’s questioning with humility, silence and truth. Those who opposed Jesus constantly questioned his identity and directly challenged his person by asking, “Who are you?” – “Who do you think you are?” Questioning is Satan’s favorite tactic and preferred method of distraction. His direct aim in disturbing our peace, stealing our joy and introducing his chaos in order to bring harm and confusion to the beloved children of God and wreak havoc on God’s glorious kingdom. We certainly know that feeling. Having to prove your own innocence so many times or regularly having to back up your own words or even constantly having your own faith, values, belief or courage challenged because of the fear and insecurities of others. When we are not certain of our own identity, who we are, who we have become, our broken image of self, the fake personas we have created, the identity crisis we interiorly face and cause, we attack others to justify who we want to be or become. This is our false, negative self. Rather than seeking God’s help and assistance to understand and know who we really are, how God wonderfully created us and the joy and freedom of being God’s glorious and beloved children, we seek to destroy the identity of another because we are not sure or certain of ourselves who we are called to become. How often for lack of control or fear of being revealed, unmasked, or properly identified as a fraud, does the darkness of our own wounds directly target and question the innocence of Jesus or that of his beloved disciples in order to feed our unfortunate sinful weakness, in order to lower the esteem of another. Our broken self-image starves our good name and our good nature then seeks to hurt and harm the good portrait of another in order to feed our own sinfulness and relieve the hurt of our own painful brokenness. Knowing Jesus personally, directly and intimately is God’s reflection of who we really are and meant to become. Jesus truly knows who he really is even if others continue to keep questioning him. He also really knows you.