Reflections from the Heart – November 13, 2022

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” What can we truly lose in this life? A key, a button, a coin, a job? Does any of that really matter? Can we count that as a true loss? Even the loss of a loved one is not truly a loss but a gain. For in eternal life, we come to be like Jesus. We come to see him face-to-face. We are with our loved ones again. So that what was lost is found. What seemed to be the end is simply a new beginning. Loss then, is losing the one thing that is precious to us. The one thing that cannot be replaced which is our relationship with God. Jesus came to restore what was lost. Our image, our relationship, our place in heaven. However, to gain what was lost, we need to lose our way of doing things. We need to follow the Way of Christ where suffering and sharing in the Cross will gain us resurrection and eternal joy. So what must we lose? Our attitude? Our judgments? Our opinions? Our desire for being perfect? Our desire for being right all the time? We must lose the facades we put on – the false personas we create for ourselves. We need to lose the desire to win always, to have the last word, to criticize others. We need to lose the attitude. Suffering these is not a loss, but a gain. Still there is more to lose; like the desire and notion of independence. We need to become helpless, vulnerable in the eyes of God. Dependent on his goodness, his graciousness, his grace. The Good Shepherd is calling us, inviting us to lose our lives so that we can find them. To lose our lives so we can gain eternal life. Our loving Father gave us his Only-Begotten Son who lost his life so that we may gain what was lost in us – the image of a beloved child being held in the arms of our loving Father. O Lord, dispel our darkness to see the depth of your love. Defrost the coldness and boldness of our hearts that we may experience the great love you have for humanity. Melt away our pride and stubbornness so that we can truly fear “the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.” Help us with the grace to love you as you love us.