Author: Isay Amante

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” – Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Paradox: A paradox is “a statement that apparently contradicts itself and yet might be true (or wrong at the same time)”

Have you ever given so much of yourself, or your time, or your effort that you begin to question if there’s anything left to give? We hear that you can’t give what you don’t have. But if we seem to run out of time, is there a way to get more of it? If we’ve spent all of our energy, can we still give it? If we feel like we’ve loved as much as we could, is it possible to still love more?

Let the Lord be our source for everything. Through Him, everything can continue to flow. He alone can renew, refill, replenish, and sustain.

I’ve heard it said a few different times and a few different ways before, “If you are happy, please remember to tell your face”. It’s kind of funny that we need to remind ourselves to do this. How we project ourselves to the world and how we are perceived by others, especially as Christians, is a very important thing. Other than Ash Wednesday, it’s rare that we have something ‘stamped’ on ourselves to show others who we really are, who we believe in, or what we believe to be the Truth.

The Gospel today (April 29th, 2015) reminds us of the eternal salvation that our Lord has already claimed victoriously. On the day to day routine it becomes easy to forget that there is much to be grateful and joyful about. Do we live everyday as Christians that truly believe we are saved? Do our actions and words reflect this? When others, who may or may not know us, observe our actions and words, do they see someone who is saved or condemned?

Let love, joy, and forgiveness come easily. Life is too short, God is too good, our blessings too abundant.

[John 12:44-50] Then Jesus cried aloud: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

From April 22: Vulnerability

A conversation I had with a dear friend the other day got me pondering about what it means to open yourself up to love through vulnerability. The origin of the word vulnerable comes from the Latin word vulnus, which means wound. Growing up we experience all these different types of wounds; broken families, internal struggles, unhealthy relationships, and the list goes on. Wound after wound after wound, until eventually we no longer have to wonder why we’ve built up skyscraper high walls and defenses. However, the Lord continues to remind us that joy can be found in the exposure of our own hearts. He can and will find ways through grace to expose our hearts for Him. It’s in this exposure that we empty ourselves of everything we cling onto in order to let our Lord meet us right where we are in our vulnerability. For when we are vulnerable enough to let the Lord in, then can He transform our hearts and replace suffering with hope.

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” – C.S. Lewis