Today’s Gospel presents us with three groups of people: The crowd, the Pharisees and the guards. The crowd was on fire with Jesus’ teaching. Their hearts were full. Then pride gets in the way. They stop thinking about how they felt and an argument breaks out. The guards also experienced the love of God and were filled. But they held onto it and didn’t get involved with the bickering. But, as for the Pharisees, where were their hearts? They were so stuck in the rules, which filled them with thoughts of this world, and not where their faith belonged. They want to prove that they know what’s best. Pride is so good at ruining a good moment.
I recently attended a three-day retreat and was so inspired that I felt like I was two feet off the ground. Being so filled with the love of God through the Holy Spirit pleases my heart and soul that I yearn for it all the time. When we experience oneness and closeness to God we long for more because that is what God wants for us.
Psalm 7 gives us the tools to step over that pride and focus on our dependence on Him. “O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me…Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but sustain the just, O searcher of heart and soul, O just God…A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart…”
In order to live with this mentality, we have to slow down and take a deep breath. We should always be thinking, is this what I need to do right now? What is Jesus calling me to do at this moment? When our hearts stay filled with Jesus’ love, patience, humility, and understanding flow.
The Pharisees’ hearts were growing cold as they tried to enforce their will and belief. Where are we growing cold in our lives? Take a moment to reflect on where you are prioritizing your needs above all else. Where are you pridefully pushing your own agenda without considering what Jesus desires?
I hum this song when I need to refocus: “How great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God. All will know how great, how great is our God.” How will those around us experience God’s love and hear Jesus’ words? By our humble witness to His words and love. It all starts with quietly inviting Jesus into our heart before it turns cold. Let us set aside our pride and lean into His love today, that our hearts may also be full.
El Evangelio de hoy nos presenta tres grupos de personas: la multitud, los fariseos y los guardias. La multitud estaba entusiasmada con las enseñanzas de Jesús. Sus corazones estaban llenos de amor. Luego, el orgullo se interpuso. Dejaron de reflexionar sobre sus sentimientos positivos y surgió una discusión. Los guardias también experimentaron el amor de Dios y se sentían llenos de corazón. Pero ellos se aferraron a ese amor y no se involucraron en la disputa. Pero, en cuanto a los fariseos, ¿dónde estaban sus corazones? Estaban tan aferrados a las normas, que los llenaban de pensamientos mundanos, y no de de la fe. Querían demostrar que sabían lo que era mejor. El orgullo es capaz de arruinar cualquier buen momento.
Recientemente asistí a un retiro de tres días y me sentí tan inspirada que me sentía en las nubes. Sentirme tan llena del amor de Dios a través del Espíritu Santo llena mi corazón y mi alma, y lo anhelo constantemente. Cuando experimentamos la unidad y la cercanía con Dios, anhelamos más, porque eso es lo que Dios desea para nosotros.
El Salmo 7 nos da las herramientas para superar el orgullo y centrarnos en nuestra dependencia de Él. “En ti, Dios mío, me refugio: de mis perseguidores, sálvame.… Tengo mi escudo en Dios, que salva a los de recto corazón. Alabaré al Señor por la justicia y cantaré el nombre del Altísimo.”
Para vivir con esta mentalidad, debemos bajar el ritmo y respirar hondo. Siempre debemos preguntarnos: ¿Es esto lo que necesito hacer ahora? ¿Qué me pide Jesús que haga en este momento? Cuando nuestros corazones están llenos del amor de Jesús, la paciencia, la humildad y la comprensión fluyen.
Los corazones de los fariseos se enfriaban mientras intentaban imponer su voluntad y sus creencias. ¿En qué aspectos de nuestra vida nos estamos enfriando? Tómate un momento para reflexionar sobre dónde priorizas tus necesidades por encima de todo lo demás. ¿Dónde, con orgullo, impones tu propia agenda sin considerar lo que Jesús desea?
Me pongo a cantar esta canción cuando necesito centrarme de nuevo: “¡Cuán grande es nuestro Dios, canten conmigo, cuán grande es nuestro Dios! Todos sabrán cuán grande, cuán grande es nuestro Dios”. ¿Cómo experimentarán quienes nos rodean el amor de Dios y escucharán las palabras de Jesús? Mediante nuestro humilde testimonio de sus palabras y su amor. Todo comienza con invitar en silencio a Jesús a nuestro corazón antes de que se enfríe. Dejemos de lado nuestro orgullo y abracémonos a su amor hoy, para que nuestros corazones también esten llenos.
Marti Garcia’s passions are her retired life and growing deeper in her Catholic faith. Marti is a Sacristan/EM, facilitates small groups, and assists as a First Communion Catechist for parents. Being a parent educator and writer for 35 years, she recently published a children’s chapter book on Amazon, The Ladybugs. You can find her at her blog: MartiGarcia.org, or thewaterisshallow.com, or her cohost podcast, findingacommonthread.com, which is coming soon.
Feature Image Credit: Kreidt-Fotografie, https://pixabay.com/photos/persons-romans-warrior-history-4853861/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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