Scripture:
Genesis 3:1-8
Mark 7:31-37
Reflection:
Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote: "What is essential is invisible to the eye."
Today’s readings are deeply immersed in the human senses, especially those of sight and hearing. What gifts all of our senses are! When all of our senses are working well, we are able to "make sense" of our world (at least the small world of our immediate family, community and friends). The deception of Adam and Eve by the serpent was a case of trying to go beyond their human senses, to a place reserved only for God. After they ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, we read, "then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked." In going beyond the only limit God had imposed on them, they knew shame, and even worse, fear of God’s presence.
In the Gospel, Jesus heals a deaf man who had a speech impediment. Jesus orders the stopped-up ears: "BE OPENED!", and immediately the man could hear and speak plainly.
Perhaps our readings are asking you and me a couple of simple questions today: "What in me (in us, as church, society) is stopped-up, or deaf? Are we deaf (even partially so) to the sufferings/needs of others? How can we (I) help others to open up more fully to God’s healing love in and around them?
"What is essential is invisible to the eye." Indeed. Only by taking on Jesus’ heart as our very own, will we be able to see, hear and then do God’s loving will fully.
Fr. Bob Bovenzi, C.P. is stationed in Chicago, Illinois.