Reflection
God Wants Our Hearts
Over the last few days, we have been hearing from the prophet Ezekiel, and it is clear that the people were struggling. They had forgotten the God of their fathers and taken matters into their own hands, even trying to shape God’s designs according to their own understanding.
Yet throughout these readings, we also hear the love, mercy, warning, and justice of God. His mercy does not erase justice or remove the consequences of our actions.
Rather, mercy invites us to look honestly at where we have strayed and return to the path God intended for us.
This brings to mind the original writings and intentions of Saint Paul of the Cross for his congregation: to love, honor, and serve God. Perhaps, like the people of Ezekiel’s time, we sometimes need to return to the original intention of our own calling and ask whether our interpretations, desires, or egos have led us away from what God intended.
Saint Paul of the Cross reminds us that God does not call us merely to discipline, but to conversion of heart—to return to love, honor, and trust. Mercy is God’s invitation to begin again, while justice reminds us that our lives must be aligned with His will.
The virtue of justice calls us to give God what is due. This is more than fulfilling an obligation; it means recognizing who God is and giving Him the honor, love, obedience, and trust that belong to Him.
In our daily lives, God remains the Good Shepherd.
When things do not go according to our plans, perhaps those moments are invitations to stop, listen, and trust.
What may seem like a change in direction or a disappointment may actually be the Shepherd leading us toward a deeper relationship with Him.
Perhaps today we are invited to look honestly at our lives: Where have we strayed? Where have our desires or egos replaced God’s intentions? And where is God, in His mercy and justice, calling us back?
The Good Shepherd does not abandon us when we wander. He calls us back—not simply to correct us, but to lead us into deeper trust and a more faithful love of Him.
