LIVING THE GOOD NEWS

We Need to be Loved More Than Heard / Necesitamos Ser Amados Más Que Escuchados

Apr 03 2024

We Need to be Loved More Than Heard / Necesitamos Ser Amados Más Que Escuchados

“‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.’ So [Jesus] went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.”

I wonder what Jesus felt when he was invited to stay with these two disciples making their way from all that had transpired in Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. Certainly, Jesus had met these two disciples on the road. He had listened to their discouragement and disillusionment. He had even spent quite a bit of time teaching them, “Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.” With all of that, however, Jesus was hoping for more. We need more than to be heard and understood and have our minds and hearts refreshed with an encounter with Truth. Deep down, the human heart yearns for intimacy and so does the heart of Jesus.

I can imagine Jesus, as he was clearly “giving the impression” that he was intending to go on his way, feeling overwhelmed with joy when the disciples invited him into the intimacy of their home. Jesus never forces his presence and his love on anyone. 

When we invite Jesus into our hearts with this great hope of satisfying the longing for intimacy that both Jesus and we have, we often scurry about preparing things for his stay, telling him things, saying prayers, asking for what we need, tidying up our hearts as best we can. Jesus enters where he is invited in order to give himself entirely to us. And so when they sat down for their evening meal there is no mention of what the disciples had prepared. Instead, it speaks of the meal Jesus provided them. “And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him.”

Today, Jesus is “hanging around,” hoping that you will invite him to stay with you. Invite Jesus in. Don’t be too worried about what your heart looks like or how you will make him feel welcome. Instead, for this time, just watch him. Experience his joy at being invited into your house and into your heart. Let him be the giver and you the receiver. Allow him to share his joy with you.

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“‘Quédate con nosotros, porque ya es tarde y pronto va a oscurecer’. Y entró para quedarse con ellos. Cuando estaban a la mesa, tomó un pan, pronunció la bendición, lo partió y se lo dio.”

Me pregunto qué sintió Jesús cuando lo invitaron a quedarse con estos dos discípulos que se dirigían desde todo lo que había sucedido en Jerusalén hasta el pueblo de Emaús. Ciertamente Jesús se había encontrado con estos dos discípulos en el camino. Había escuchado su desaliento y desilusión. Incluso había pasado bastante tiempo enseñándoles: “Y comenzando por Moisés y siguiendo con todos los profetas, les explicó todos los pasajes de la Escritura que se referían a él.”  Sin embargo, con todo eso, Jesús esperaba más. Necesitamos más que ser escuchados y comprendidos y que nuestras mentes y corazones se refresquen con un encuentro con la Verdad. En el fondo, el corazón humano anhela intimidad y también el corazón de Jesús.

Me imagino a Jesús, claramente dando la impresión de que tenía intención de seguir su camino, sintiéndose inundado de alegría cuando los discípulos lo invitaron a la intimidad de su casa. Jesús nunca impone su presencia y su amor a nadie.

Cuando invitamos a Jesús a nuestro corazón con esta gran esperanza de satisfacer el anhelo de intimidad que tanto Jesús como nosotros tenemos, muchas veces nos apresuramos a preparar las cosas para su estancia, decirle cosas, hacer oraciones, pedir lo que necesitamos, ordenar nuestra corazones lo mejor que podamos. Jesús entra donde está invitado para entregarse enteramente a nosotros. Y así, cuando se sentaron a cenar, no se menciona lo que los discípulos habían preparado. Más bien, habla de la comida que Jesús les proporcionó. “Cuando estaban a la mesa, tomó un pan, pronunció la bendición, lo partió y se lo dio. Entonces se les abrieron los ojos y lo reconocieron”.

Hoy, Jesús está allí pasando el tiempo, esperando que lo invites a quedarse contigo. Invita a Jesús a entrar. No te preocupes demasiado por cómo será tu corazón o cómo lo harás sentir bienvenido. En lugar de eso, por ahora, simplemente míralo. Experimenta su alegría al ser invitado a tu casa y a tu corazón. Deja que él sea el dador y tú el receptor. Permítele compartir su alegría contigo.

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Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes

Sr. Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, is an author and offers online evangelization as well as spiritual formation for people on their journey of spiritual transformation and inner healing. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com My Books: https://touchingthesunrise.com/books/
Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ HeartWork Spiritual Formation Group: https://touchingthesunrise.com/heartwork/

Feature Image Credit: Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giovanni_Battista_Piazzetta_-_The_Supper_at_Emmaus_-_1931.245_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art.tiff