BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES


"Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." (Matthew 13:16)


The ability to understand God's word is a gift. This is exactly what Jesus wanted his disciples to know as he said: "To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given.... blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell 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."


In other words, there are many who read the bible but are not able to perceive the secrets it contains. There are those for whom the bible is indeed a stumbling block. How? Recall that Satan actually quoted the Bible to Jesus during His temptations. Without proper guidance and the light of the Holy Spirit, the Bible can actually mislead a person.


I recall one of my teachers back then in the Seminary who taught us Scriptures. She happened to be a Reverend Sister. She told us that the Bible should always be read kneeling. Truly, the Bible is not like any other piece of literature. We must first ask for God to open our hearts before we begin to flip through the pages of the Bible. That way, the meaning becomes really clear to us. We see things that others cannot see and we hear things that others will never hear.


A divine revelation of God came to Jeremiah in our first reading today; to preach to the people in a way they had not heard before. Jeremiah's words were a total reproach on the entire nation of Israel. He seemed to capture every one of their sins.


From the least person up to the leaders, the priests, those in custody of the law and the rulers, Jeremiah fearlessly delivered the word, telling them how they have all abandoned God, the fountain of living waters and have tried to create cisterns for themselves; broken cisterns for that manner.


Let us pray: Lord God, give us eyes that see and ears that hear, that our study of your word may bear the right fruits in our lives. Amen


Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Jeremiah 2:1-13, Psalm 36:6-11, Matthew 13:10-17).


Sr. Christy (ESC)