Be Not Afraid: Opening the Doors to Christ
Amy Micallef
Dear friend,
Happy Feast Day of JPII (for yesterday)!
I'm sure you've heard St. John Paul II's famous words, if not here they are:
"Be not afraid. Open, I say, open wide the doors for Christ..."
Over the past few months, JPII has become a very close friend to me, and it’s because he fiercely advocated for courage in the face of fear. Every day, he gently reminds me to surrender my anxieties to Christ, to trust fully, and as he said, "open wide the doors for Christ."
I often find myself wondering what it truly means to 'open wide the doors for Christ.' Perhaps the season you’re in right now is calling for His restoration—His deep, tender healing and profound love.
My dear friend, we are the only ones who can let God into our hearts. The door is one-sided, and Jesus waits there, like a gentle lover, patient and full of longing for us to simply let Him in. How often do we keep Our Lord at a distance, holding Him at arm's length, when all He desires is closeness? The Lord aches for that intimacy with you and with me.
And here’s the beautiful and dare I must say the hard truth: that everyone is called to a spousal union with Christ. Not just the religious or consecrated but every soul is invited into this profound, intimate relationship with our Creator, the One who loves us beyond measure.
When we desire a spousal love for Christ, we discover our deepest identity through this intimate relationship—the fullness of who we were created to be. It is in gazing into the eyes of Jesus, in encountering His most Sacred Heart, that we find true satisfaction. We were made for this—to love and to be loved by God. The people in our lives who love us deeply reflect Christ’s love, and in that love, we are always drawn back to Him.
To whom else shall we go? He alone has the words of everlasting life.
So, I leave you with this, my dear friend: do not be afraid. Open wide the doors of your heart for Christ. Let your heart whisper, "Lord, I am not afraid of Your love for me. Come, Lord Jesus, come into my heart and rest with me now."
May His love wash over you, filling every longing and bringing you peace ♥️
With all of my prayers,
Amata
Happy Feast Day of JPII (for yesterday)!
I'm sure you've heard St. John Paul II's famous words, if not here they are:
"Be not afraid. Open, I say, open wide the doors for Christ..."
Over the past few months, JPII has become a very close friend to me, and it’s because he fiercely advocated for courage in the face of fear. Every day, he gently reminds me to surrender my anxieties to Christ, to trust fully, and as he said, "open wide the doors for Christ."
I often find myself wondering what it truly means to 'open wide the doors for Christ.' Perhaps the season you’re in right now is calling for His restoration—His deep, tender healing and profound love.
My dear friend, we are the only ones who can let God into our hearts. The door is one-sided, and Jesus waits there, like a gentle lover, patient and full of longing for us to simply let Him in. How often do we keep Our Lord at a distance, holding Him at arm's length, when all He desires is closeness? The Lord aches for that intimacy with you and with me.
And here’s the beautiful and dare I must say the hard truth: that everyone is called to a spousal union with Christ. Not just the religious or consecrated but every soul is invited into this profound, intimate relationship with our Creator, the One who loves us beyond measure.
When we desire a spousal love for Christ, we discover our deepest identity through this intimate relationship—the fullness of who we were created to be. It is in gazing into the eyes of Jesus, in encountering His most Sacred Heart, that we find true satisfaction. We were made for this—to love and to be loved by God. The people in our lives who love us deeply reflect Christ’s love, and in that love, we are always drawn back to Him.
To whom else shall we go? He alone has the words of everlasting life.
So, I leave you with this, my dear friend: do not be afraid. Open wide the doors of your heart for Christ. Let your heart whisper, "Lord, I am not afraid of Your love for me. Come, Lord Jesus, come into my heart and rest with me now."
May His love wash over you, filling every longing and bringing you peace ♥️
With all of my prayers,
Amata