Faith to see the Divine Plan

The eyes of faith

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary remind us that we put a great deal of faith in the cliche that seeing is believing. The Prophet Isaiah paints images of the way in which God’s plan for the Israelites will change what they see in the world around them. Daniel Patrick O'Reilly recounts his experience with a threat to his sight through which he reflects on the nature of faith through the difficulties of life. The Gospel from Matthew highlights Jesus action of giving sight to the blind as both a healing event of Divine mercy and a spiritual invitation which Archbishop Cyril Salim Bustros understands as part of the synergy of our lives in Christ wherein we shy from seeing Him face to face. Don Schwager sees the deep meaning of knowing God to be mercy. The vision of the plan and action of God is clearer to the humble, courageous, childlike and just mentioned by the psalmist as those who see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living. We approach Jesus blind and ask for the gift of faith to improve our vision.

Trust and do

Food for the spirit and Providence

Humble and simple trust to see the Kingdom

Advent of Shalom

A Vision of Shalom

The Roman Catholic Lectionary uses texts today which focus on the hope for peace which will be a theme for Advent. The passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is used in the Christian Prayer known as the Liturgy of the Hours. The mountain of the Lord is where the authority of God will end all dispute between peoples who will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Friar Jude Winkler discusses the hymn which Isaiah and Micah share about the profound shalom which brings peace to all nature. The image from the Gospel of Matthew of Jesus and the Roman Centurion together as an agent of the pagan occupying authority asks a favour of the Jewish rabbi and is praised for faith which will put him in the company of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is truly a source of hope that we have the ability to see that God is present and works in those we place on the outside. Pope Francis has returned to Rome from a visit to Istanbul where he gave witness to the deep desire for profound peace by pausing to face Mecca while in the Blue Mosque and by bowing to seek the prayers and blessing of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. The shalom of Isaiah comes when authority bows to service and the Will of God invites us to reconcile and begin to make pruning hooks from our spears.