Reflections from the Heart – December 8, 2024

Second Sunday of Advent
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“Take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.” What is the source of your sadness? Is it the lack of not having control, of being out of control or the hurt and disappointment of not getting your way, of things not going your way, of you not getting others to see it your way? What brings you misery, discomfort, bitterness, displeasure? Is it your lack of discipline, your lack of hunger for prayer, the sins you keep excusing, the temptation that never seems to go away? Where is that dark place, the dungeon, you know the secret interior place where you keep all that un-forgiveness secretly stored away, the place filled with the pain you suffered others, the place you hide and cannot get to because you lost the key or the way to get there? Jesus came and comes and will come again to heal the broken hearted, strengthen our hearts; empty our hearts from all the suffering and pain so that we do not remember the hurt but the love that Jesus shows us. The Lord came, comes and will come again to liberate those imprisoned by so much stress, so much worry, so much anxiety and so much fear until the day when we finally hear and believe Jesus say, do not worry, do not be afraid, have no anxiety whatsoever. Jesus came, comes and will come again to bring freedom to those oppressed by huge errors of their past life, the major hurts for long ago and the biggest mistakes we cannot seem to let go of. Jesus came, comes and will come again as he does in every Mass and Eucharistic Celebration to bring you blessed hope, joyous peace, the joy of being pardoned, the grace and reconciliation we all need so “Take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.” The glory of God is like a transcended light that quietly dispels darkness, error and fear and replaces the voids caused by our mourning, misery and grief with light, love, happiness and endless joy. The glory of God is like living water that washes the stains of sin, worries, cares away and refreshes the parched spirit and soul with the springs of salvation giving it freedom, newness, strength and everlasting peace. The glory of God is the loving embrace of God that covers up our shame and nakedness, warms us after our cold and fills us with life.