Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In both scripture readings today, the people in the stories encounter God. Throughout our days, we too have opportunities to encounter God in various ways. Do we recognize God in our daily lives?
In the first reading, the LORD instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to sanctify themselves in preparation for meeting God. With fire, smoke, violent trembling, and trumpet blasts, the LORD comes down to Mt. Sinai and invites Moses to come up to meet him. This revelation of God is both powerful and awe-inspiring, and the Israelites are left trembling in God’s presence.
The disciples in today’s gospel reading question Jesus about the use of parables. He explains that some people “look and do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” Jesus implies that the people who do not hear, see, or understand refuse to accept their need for conversion and healing. Jesus goes on further to say that there are many people from long ago that would long to see and hear what the disciples are experiencing first hand. Although the disciples do not completely understand, Jesus is revealing to them that He is God and truly in their midst.
Jesus has promised us that He will be with us always. Do we recognize Him as we go through our day? Like the people in today’s gospel reading, I believe that we can only see, hear and understand God‘s presence in our lives when we open our hearts to our need for God and God’s healing. I believe that there are many things that distract us from recognizing God. We are so busy that our day goes by without even the awareness that we are encountering God in the people around us. Does our pride and judgmental attitude close our heart to seeing and hearing God in each person we meet? Do we miss recognizing God’s presence in those “thin places” like a beautiful sunrise or a walk in the woods because we are too busy to slow down and pay attention? Do we open our heart and mind to God’s presence through scripture, sacrament and prayer? God is always there, but like the disciples, we are not completely aware that God is in among us.
Today, pray that God will bless our eyes, so we can see and our ears, so they can hear. May we seek and find Christ throughout our day, and may these Divine encounters transform us to become Christ for others.
—Marylynn Herchline