The Lord Opens the Heart

Voice over by Angeline Chue Chue

Acts 16:11-15, Psalm: 149, Jn 15:26—16:4

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The Easter season is a time of witness. The Risen Lord sends His Spirit to empower us, even as He warns us that the world will resist. Today, the Scriptures give us both a beautiful example of an open heart and a sobering reminder that not all will receive the truth. Yet in both, we find our comfort and our strength: the Lord is the one who opens hearts, and the Spirit is the one who testifies.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and his companions arrive in Philippi, a Roman colony. On the Sabbath, they go outside the city gate to a place of prayer by the river. There they speak to the women who have gathered. Among them is Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira. She is a worshiper of God, a Gentile drawn to the faith of Israel. Luke tells us, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” She and her household are baptized, and she insists on hosting the missionaries. Lydia’s conversion is not the result of Paul’s eloquence alone; it is the work of the Lord, who opens hearts to receive the Gospel.

This is the first lesson: faith is a gift. We can speak, we can reason, we can invite, but only God can open the heart. Our mission is to be faithful witnesses; the outcome belongs to the Lord.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus prepares His disciples for the opposition they will face. He promises, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.” The Spirit is the inner witness, the one who convicts the world of sin and righteousness. But then Jesus speaks the hard truth: “They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” Those who reject the truth will act in blindness, believing they are serving God.

Paul and his companions will soon experience this rejection. In the very next chapter of Acts, they will be beaten and imprisoned in Philippi—the same city where Lydia’s heart was opened. The same Gospel that brings joy to Lydia brings fury to others. The same Spirit who opens hearts also testifies through the suffering of His witnesses.

Pope Francis reminds us, “The Holy Spirit is the protagonist of the Church’s mission. It is He who opens hearts and prepares the way for the Word.” Saint John Paul II, in his encyclical on the Holy Spirit, wrote, “The Spirit is the principal agent of the new evangelization.”

For us today, the message is twofold. First, we must never lose heart when our witness seems to fail. Hearts are opened not by our skill, but by the Lord. We are called to be faithful, not necessarily successful. Second, we must expect opposition. If the world rejected Jesus, it will reject His followers. But we are not alone. The Advocate testifies with us, and the Lord who opened Lydia’s heart can open any heart—including our own, when it grows cold.

This Easter season, let us pray for the Spirit’s witness. Let us speak the truth with gentleness and courage. And let us trust that the Lord is at work, opening hearts in ways we cannot see. Amen.

May God bless you all!