Reflections from the Heart – October 10, 2021

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  People who have experienced the same situations in life as we have or have undergone similar circumstances seem to better understand us.  They get us. They understand because they can relate to what we have been through.  Especially the most difficult moments in life. They understand our struggles, our hurts, our pains, our impatience, our sorrows. They understand our hardships, our illnesses, our exhaustion, our heartaches, our losses. They understand it because they have been there and have personally suffered through it. That’s what I love about Jesus. He gets us, he understands us. Having been born into our human weakness and frailty, Jesus understands our challenges and limitations, our temptations and frustrations, our shocks and surprises, our fears and our needs. He knows our bodies, our particular circumstances, the problems we face in life. He knows because he has personally experienced the effects of our fallen and sinful state. Jesus knows the challenges we have gone through, he understands what we are going through right now and everything we will have to face later. He understands our lives are busy, our minds are restless, our time over occupied. In order to help us, he graciously meets us where we are and invites us to follow him to a better place, a better life, a better frame of mind. Jesus will come and meet us at work or school. He will come and visit us in our lives and in our homes. He will come and meet us in our jobs and occupations. He will come and meet us in any situation and in every circumstance. That’s what he did when he called the disciples – he met them where they where. It didn’t matter their particular state of life. Although we can learn and grow from each Apostles’ call, the fishermen leave us with a beautiful Christ encounter to personally consider. Fishing was their livelihood, their lives were dependent on it. We often hear they were unsuccessful with a catch. However, all that changes when Jesus comes to meet them where they are and fishes for them.   He casts a wide net of confidence and joy. He lures them with words of truth, encouragement, everlasting life. Who can resist the sweet fragrance of his goodness, wholeness, holiness? They dropped everything and followed Jesus. They became true followers of Christ. How about you? Is Jesus leading you?