Quinquagesima Sunday 19 February 2023 Believing is Seeing
We see as through a glass darkly (epistle). There is much we
do not see because we are limited to physical sight. We cannot see God, angels,
demons, Heaven etc.
We also cannot see the future, being anchored in the
present.
The Lord gives us sight – the faith to see what we cannot
see physically, and the trust to negotiate each passing moment in the grace of
God. Not to give way to despair or fear or disobedience or loss of faith or any
such negative.
The negative results will happen if we do not pray, receive
sacraments, generally exert ourselves in the right direction.
We come to a point where we can see, at least enough to know
what is around us, and what will come with the future.
Some things God will not tell us, but He does tell us enough
for us to play our part and help to bring about His plans.
The Lord will give us sight if we ask for it, but there are
so many false religions and philosophies out there that many are trapped in the
darkness. They do not ask the real God to help, and they must thrash about in
the dark till someone can offer them the true light.
Those who say they can see are blind. The Pharisees could
see only worldly advantage. Blind totally to the real God. Sin blinds us in the
spiritual sense, as we have less understanding of what is real. Jesus said, 'If you were blind, you
would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt
remains (Jn 9,41).
We ask Our Lord that we may see. We will see what is what, as
to right and wrong, and when there are issues open to interpretation, we will
make good decisions, pleasing to Him.
Blessed are those who have not seen and still believe (Jn
20,29). Many would dispute that, thinking that the lack of seeing is the
crucial factor. I will believe it if I see it is the common phrase.
Our Lord is reversing that saying: I will see it when I
believe it. If you believe you will see, because then your eye will become
clean: “The eye is the lamp of
the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light (Mt
6,22).
We can believe to the point of certainty, such certainty as
we see in the saints. They are so convinced of God's reality and goodness that
they do not doubt for a second.
We learn how to think like that. With a lot of help from
Heaven we grow in grace, and wisdom. We can learn from experience, even from our
failures. Spiritual thinking becomes a part of our whole lives, permeating all
else.
We do not just keep the odd commandment; instead it becomes
habitual to seek God's will and put it into practice.
Many will try to dilute Christianity, as if to accommodate
their doubt. But if we do not have doubt we can venture much more.
We do not have to be great saints, but at least to get our
part right.
We speak of certain understandings as dawning upon us.
Why did I not see that before, we ask?
Why did I not see that before? Spiritual sight. We
will see a lot more if we stop the sin and actually look for Him.
Everything looks different through the light that Christ
brings. We find we have new talents and inclinations, which is a much happier
state.
Lord, that I may see needs to be our constant prayer,
as we stay afloat amidst stormy waters.
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