Passion Sunday 29.3.20 Disposition
Our Lord had great difficulty convincing the Jewish leaders
of His identity as Messiah – even more so as to His divinity.
The people (especially the leaders) were very resistant to
His message. They just did not want to know Him, whether He was right or wrong.
Their passions aroused, they were no longer capable of
reason. Hatred took hold of them – led by
the devil himself, and followed by many others in every generation.
For the sake of those who would still listen, Our Lord revealed
Himself gradually and carefully.
First he points out the absurdity of those who objected to
His healing on the sabbath. The Jews would circumcise on the sabbath, for the benefit
of the one circumcised. Our Lord would heal the whole man. Is that so bad?
Our Lord reveals Himself to those who have eyes to see and
ears to hear (Mt 13,9-16). If we have the right disposition we will see as much
as we need to; otherwise we will stay in our blindness (Jn 9,41).
We could say that those who want to believe will believe,
and those who do not want will not believe.
This is not to say that belief is merely subjective. The
objective truth will not change, but to receive that objective truth we need to
have the right disposition.
If we are prepared to take Our Lord at His word (bolstered
by countless miracles) we will believe.
If we are going to argue every point and let spite take over
from reason, then we will join all the others who have rejected Him over 2000
years.
Faith can be blocked, and it often is. Our Lord still tries
to get through to such people but it is hard, even for Him, when pure goodness
is rejected simply out of hatred or indifference.
This is where we come in. We pray constantly for conversion
of sinners - enough prayer to compensate for all the blasphemies and sacrileges
committed since Our Lord appeared.
Prayer is needed. We do not have to pray that people go to
the football, or eat plenty of food, or anything else that appeals to them; but
we do have to pray they go to church!
What is the difference? Inclination.
People are inclined to do what they want, and basic
appetites are strong – the pleasures of the flesh: be it food or drink, or sexual
indulgence, or idleness. These things come easily; but people are not so
inclined to obey God, or to worship Him.
This is where we come in again. We have got as far as believing
in God, and understanding His immense importance.
So we express and increase our confidence in Him, on every
matter large or small.
We maintain always a respectful disposition. We are disposed
by His grace to trust His ways.
We do not dispute every point or demand that God act in a
certain way. That is what the unbelievers do; it is not for us.
Our belief, tested over time, eventually becomes complete certainty,
never again to give way to doubt.
We cannot convert others by our own efforts, not even if we
were perfect in all things.
Only the grace of God can do that, cutting more finely than
any double-edged sword (Heb 4,12); penetrating the defences of those who are
resisting faith, for whatever reason.
We can help in the conversion process, however, by holding
to the truths that we have received; maintaining the humility essential to be
able to see and hear the ways of God
Our constant prayer, penance, almsgiving, and good works
will help to shift the balance in the right direction.
There are always some people converting. We see some miracles;
we can make a lot more happen.
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