“They look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.”
I know I’ve been there in my spiritual life. Sometimes we have these things called plans and they end up being way off the mark and then we see what God had planned all along. Ever been there?
When I read the Gospel today I think about how frustrating it must have been for the people in the Old Testament, because they didn’t yet have the teachings and life of Christ.
To quote a popular musical, “How lucky we are to be alive right now.” We are among the people who have been granted the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but still, sometimes we do not see or hear.
What would it take for us to fully believe in the Sacraments in such a way that we actually saw Jesus in the Eucharist? What would it take for us to fully believe that Christ died for us and we are saved through his grace? I mean fully believe it. We want it to be true. We have faith to believe, but there is still this human doubt that sometimes gets in the way.
I think this happens when we listen with human ears and look with human eyes, instead of relying on the spiritual revelations of God. What Jesus did on the cross bridged the gap between our human nature and the divine. So much so that when we are in heaven the Church teaches that we will participate fully in the divinity of God.
This isn’t something that is just for our future in heaven, but we have been adopted into this beautiful reality here and now, through our Baptism. If we allow Christ into our human hearts, we start to become what we were meant to be, and we can listen beyond human ears and human eyes.
This may all seem a little high in the clouds to comprehend, and in a sense, it is, it is beyond our intellect, but God gives us the grace to believe. Are we listening? That’s the question for today. Let’s pray for the grace to hear as Jesus hears and see as he sees. God Bless!
Tommy Shultz is Director of Evangelization for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative and the founder of Rodzinka Ministries. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.
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