What Happens When You Stop Holding Back Love - Fr. Paul Novak 5.3.26

What happens when you stop holding back love? Have you ever caught yourself doing it—holding back just a little? Not saying the kind thing. Not reaching out. Not fully showing how much you care… because somewhere in the back of your mind, there’s that quiet thought: What if I get hurt? It’s a natural instinct. We protect ourselves. We think if we keep some distance—if we don’t give too much—then maybe we won’t feel the sting of rejection, loss, or disappointment. But what if holding back love doesn’t actually protect us? What if it slowly does the opposite? Because love isn’t meant to be stored away. It’s meant to move. In a way, love is like breathing. We’re meant to breathe in… and breathe out. Receive… and give. If we only receive love but never give it, something feels off and we are disconnected. And if we only give love but never allow ourselves to receive it, we become drained, exhausted, and feel like we’re running on empty. A healthy life is a balance of giving and receiving. When we live that way—when we stop holding back—love doesn’t disappear. It multiplies. Because when love is poured out, it has a way of coming back—in ways more abundant, more beautiful, and more meaningful than we could ever expect. So maybe the real question isn’t: What if I get hurt? Maybe it’s: What might happen… if you didn’t hold back? Today, Father Novak shares the story of a life well lived—a life where love was given freely and received fully - a life that shows us we don’t have to be afraid to love boldly.