Hear and See

Day's Saints
Blessed Lucy Bufalari, Augustinian
Blessed Maria Klemensa Staszewska, Martyr

Gospel Mt 13:10-17
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

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Bless the Lord and He will bless you.

We can see and hear only if Jesus enabled us. Thus, we ought to be careful to nourish what we have, so that it will become an imperishable reality into which we will be born.

If we do not at least desire to see and hear the meaning of what the Lord says to us, how will we be able to do His Will? Doing penance to atone for our grossness of heart will also make more keen our love of brothers and sisters. If our love grows, we will become closer to the Lord, and we will enter into the reward He has hinted at.

Choose whom you will serve, this day; men or God. Are we of this world, or have we yet been elevated to something else, something better? Do not go into eternity without being transformed by His love, for there is nothing that can comfort the torment of losing what we had. If a child passes away, a part of mother and father has been taken from their hearts, and the pain never goes away, however time may diminish the suffering. Do not subject yourself to the grief of being separated from God after He went to such trouble to bring us closer to Him.

Life in Christ indeed may be a crucifixion to some, and they are deserving of His blessing for their willingness. Pain can be something we fight tooth and nail all our life, or it may be something that coexists with the peace of God and His promise of a better life in the world to come. Love with all your heart and nothing will separate you from Christ.