We need a big and compassionate heart

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WHEN Christ summoned his 12 apostles, sending them out two by two and giving them authority over unclean spirits, he clearly told them also to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts, etc. (cfr. Mk 6,7-13)

The instruction may seem harsh and even inhuman, but for sure Christ had a good reason for that. We can only surmise that Christ wanted his apostles—and now us—to depend solely on him, on divine providence which, as we all know, is governed by nothing less than pure and gratuitous love, a love that springs from complete faith in God’s will and ways.

Christ wants us to give our heart completely to God. Thus, in the Book of Proverbs, we have this passage: “My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.” (23,26) We need to realize that our heart actually has a certain hunger and thirst that can only be completely satisfied by the infinite love of God.

But often we do not realize it, since this infinite love of God would involve, given our wounded condition, certain sacrifices and sufferings, things that we tend not to realize that they can be good occasions to show and develop the true love that comes from God.

We have to realize that to give our heart to God is to grow in our capacity to love the others. This giving our heart to God is to have a new heart, a heart of flesh, truly capable of loving, to replace the heart of stone. (cfr. Ez 11,19)

It’s when we give our heart to God through Christ in the Holy Spirit that we would find it easy to put our heart in all the tasks that we do. It’s when we can deal with anyone with great understanding and magnanimity. It’s when we can live out what St. Paul said: that we have the very mindset or sentiments of Christ. (cfr. Phil 2,5)

It’s in this context that some of those who are given a special vocation from God choose to live in what is known as “apostolic celibacy” so they can give themselves more to the others.

It’s when we give our heart to God through Christ in the Holy Spirit that we can also have the very merciful heart of Christ, willing to bear all the burdens of everyone, including their miseries and sins, doing this with determination and commitment if only to gain pardon and the ultimate victory of our life.

It’s when we give our heart to God through Christ in the Holy Spirit that we can expect the purification of all sins, and the regeneration of hope and human love. It’s when we attain the fullness of our humanity, when God will give us “grace upon grace” (cfr. Jn1,16)

How important therefore that we learn to engage our heart with the right treasure, the ultimately genuine one, the one that lasts forever, and not the many pseudo-treasures that the world offers.

Thus, we should often echo those words in Scriptures in our ears: “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” (Prov 23,26) Or, Christ’s words: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…” (Lk 10,27) Here God both begs and commands us to give our heart to him.

This is when we can have a truly big and compassionate heart especially when we do apostolate.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com