In the next few blog entries, I will attempt to share my humble insights that God inspired me with through His Holy Spirit during my 3 days retreat at the Ignatian Spirituality Centre. Today, I shall share about a passage from the bible - Revelation 3:20
The picture above shows Jesus knocking on a door. If we observe more closely, we will notice that this door does not have a door knob. And it is a very appropriate picture to illustrate this same Jesus knocking on the doors to our hearts. This door cannot be opened from the outside. It can only be opened from the inside. We are the ones controlling the activities inside our hearts by taking control of this door knob. Jesus cannot open this door. He can only continue knocking. We, on the inside, however, can choose to open or keep it shut. What will be our response? To open or not to open?
If we keep this door shut, then it is purely our fault that God's graces cannot enter into our hearts and we will always find our spiritual life stagnant or perhaps even non-existent. If we are wise to know what is truly good for ourselves, we will certainly open this door. Each time this door slams on itself again, we will again make the effort to open it again to the Lord. And Jesus has given us His word that if we open the door to Him, He will come in. God will make a home in us if we abide in His love.
I hear at times people (including myself) saying that mass is boring, the priest's homily is boring, music is terrible, the choir cannot sing, so hard to pray, the kid in front of me kept making noise to distract me, etc. I rely on the priest celebrating mass to convince me that it is the right environment for me to pray. Unfortunately, I'm not always convinced. But searching deeper, the priest celebrating mass is like Jesus knocking on the door. I have a choice in the way I respond and nobody can be responsible for this choice I have to make. If I decide to love God and decide to be ever and always open to Him, anywhere, any time and any situation is an opportunity for prayer, more so during holy mass. I must, we must, first make a deliberate choice to open our hearts to God so that the Holy Spirit can enter and do with us what God wills of us. With an open heart, we need to pray and ask for God to grant His graces, to send His Holy Spirit upon us to move our hearts towards a deeper, more faithful and more active love for God.
Reading the bible, spiritual books or blog entries and the like can inspire us but being inspired does not necessary lead to any change within us. Inspirations are like sparks. If it is not fan into a flame, it will just die out instantly. We must want to, desire for and take action upon what we read, pray that God's word will take seed in our hearts and germinate into a new plant in our hearts so that our lives may see real changes that are lasting and life-giving.
11 September 2010
9.49pm
I like the part on we having a choice to react to each mass we attend and what we experience then.
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