Scripture:
Exodus 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b
Matthew 13:10-17
Reflection:
But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. -Matthew 13:17
The other day, I heard that the average time it takes to see your primary physician is three weeks. Jesus loved to see Himself as a physician. Approximately one-fourth of the Gospels is devoted to Jesus’ healing. We must see Him a whole lot more than once every three weeks! The beautiful truth is that Jesus is close, intimately close, 24/7! But we are all too often not very close to Him.
Without grace, we cannot contact Him! Our hearts and minds are totally incapable of creating a relationship with Him without His revelation to us. “Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” JN 14:6 And even more forcefully: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me drags him; JN 6:44
St. Augustine speaks eloquently of our struggle to experience this beautiful presence of Jesus. “O supreme and unapproachable light! O whole and blessed truth, how far art thou from me (my experience), who am so near to thee! How far removed art thou from my vision, though I am so near to thine! Everywhere thou art wholly present, and I see thee not. In thee I move, and in thee I have my being; and I cannot come to thee. Thou art within me, and about me, and I feel thee not.”
Dear Lord, gift me your mercy and faith so I can receive the wonderful present of Yourself! Open my eyes that I might see You. Enlarge my heart that it can receive You!
But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. -Matthew 13:17
Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.