Doors

In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

 ~ John 16:33

This morning two words stood out to me in prayer—trust and acceptance.  Trusting in the Lord, that He loves us as we are and Acceptance, not only accepting His will, but also accepting Him.  And His love.  God is the ultimate gentleman.  He won’t ever force himself on us.  He offers us His love freely, but—we are not always whole, aware, present or fully healed to be able to accept all the things He is ready to so freely pour out. 

God will help us to overcome those things blocking our hearts and blocking the Holy Spirit from acting freely within us…He will give us His unconditional love and help us to embrace it; but the deeper we go, the more united we long to be, the more we have to let go of.  The more stuff we keep packed in, the less room there is for Him to pour in!  We have to be free, more free of ourselves, and more free of the inner clutter that is hitting all those amazing graces and new experiences of love—to the curb.  

I’m not talking self-denial here.  I’m talking about the closed doors in our hearts.  When God’s love and real presence in the Eucharist unites with us, a penetrating light of love, peace, tenderness and serenity can console and bring calm to our innermost, if God so wills.  But in that unity, when Christ meets us in a special way, too often we lock some of the doors in our hearts.  Quick! Hurry! A visitor is knocking at the door and we’re not ready for their arrival! Make sure everything looks okay in the house before we let Him in!  

We invite the King of heaven and earth to dine with us and dwell within us in the home of our soul, but still we keep a few rooms locked…Oh no! Our Lord can’t go in there!  What will He think of the Mess!?  I gathered all the clutter that was everywhere in the house and dumped it there—it isn’t fit to be seen!  I will just lock it and He’ll never know….

We are afraid of leaving those doors open, afraid of what the one who already loved us past that which we are trying to hide will see, afraid of what He might make us do, afraid of what He will force us to face. 

Can the Good Lord peep into every door in your home??

Jesus, the divine Creator, fashioned us in his image and likeness.  He molded and continues to knead our souls towards perfection, sometimes in trials, sometimes in consolation.  But oh the kneading can hurt!!  We have all experienced some sort of pain, fear, rejection, or loss in our lives, often of which reaches the inner part of us and leaves one scar too many.  Jesus, too, experienced pain in His earthly life, a pain which also reached and tore at His innermost, a pain that we could never imagine or closely conceive of.   He carried the weight and pain of the very sin and damage we suffer from today, along with that of every person and all of humanity in the past, present, and future.  Jesus was hurt.  We have been hurt.  Jesus was scarred in the flesh.  We have been wounded and scarred in the flesh.  Jesus was nailed to a cross and left to die and cried out, seeking the Father.  We are struck with pain and fear and cry out, Father, where are you?  

Jesus died and rose again to make all things new--and because He has “overcome the world,” He will help us to overcome all troubles.   As we prepare ourselves this week for Pentecost Sunday, may we ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be more aware of our hearts and dispositions.  Sometimes we have a locked door and we don’t even know it!  As we acknowledge the closed doors in our hearts, ask Jesus to open every door with you, together.  He already knows what’s inside.  He has already taken it up to the Father in His suffering.  He has already stitched and bandaged our wound.  It’s time to sit with the Savior—if the wound still hurts, just grab His hand and squeeze for support.  

We have a clear calling in this world to be the face and heart of Christ to those we encounter.  As we continue to grow free of ourselves and full of Christ, may we be able to be the ears, the eyes, the hands, and the heart of Jesus, exactly where we are.

May the grace and peace of the Holy Spirit always be at the center of your heart.  Place your heart in the open side of the Savior and unite it with the King of our hearts who is within it as on a royal throne, in order that He might receive homage and obedience from all other hearts.  Keep its door open so that everybody can approach Him and gain an audience at all times.  And when your heart speaks to Him, don’t forget, my dearest, to speak in favor of mine again, so that His divine and cordial Majesty may render it good, obedient, faithful and less wretched than it is. ~St. Padre Pio