Daily Reflection: 2 April 2023

The fickleness of the human heart is often reflected on—especially when it comes to Jesus.

Here on Palm Sunday, we see the crowds praise Him with shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David!” And in less than a week the crowds will viciously scream, “Crucify Him!”

It is often remarked, and rightfully so, that the human heart is so very fickle, trending in and out of devotion and apathy.

Yet, as I sat thinking about this, it’s not always true that our hearts are fickle.

I have seen devotion to politicians more fierce and loyal than devotion to Our Lord. People’s favorite politician cannot be criticized without intense defending and followers rarely if ever critically examine behavior. When it comes to people’s favorite politician there usually isn’t much fickleness.

I’ve also seen devotion to musicians, actors/actresses, and other famous people with the same intensity. Even if the famous person does something heinous and horrific, still, fans will defend at all costs and excuse any bad or evil behavior away.

So, the human heart is not always fickle, but what’s interesting is that most often it is fickle towards people who should be our top priority—Christ and our spouse.

It’s often less fickle, or not fickle at all, with people we don’t even know and deserve none of our loyalty.

I think alot of it boils down to what the relationship asks of us. Christ calls us to holiness and many times we buck this call in pursuit of comfort, pleasures, and our own way. Marriage requires a dying to self for love of other and when we don’t want to do that, our love becomes fickle.

Idolization of politicians and famous people really requires nothing of us—there’s no higher call and so it easy to be devoted.

May we always check the fickleness in our hearts, Catholic Pilgrims, and worship Christ with loyalty and joyful intensity.

Have a blessed Palm Sunday.

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