January 17, 2012
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Tuesday of 2nd week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saint Anthony of Egypt 1 Samuel 16: 1-13; Mark 2: 23-28 |
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At first glance, the two readings we have just heard seem totally unrelated. In the reading from 1 Samuel, we heard the account of the choosing of David as king. In the passage from Mark, we heard the account of a Pharisee confronting Jesus because He allowed His disciples to violate the Sabbath by picking grain. However, they are and the connecting verse is in the first reading: "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but God looks into the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). God peers into the depths of the human heart and lays bare the motives for our actions, data that no other being can access. In a word, we can fool others, we can even fool ourselves, but we cannot fool God. Saint Benedict takes up the theme in the fourth chapter of his Rule for Monks: "Hour by hour keep careful watch over all you do, aware that God's gaze is upon you, wherever you may be" (R 4. 48-49). There are times when I find these words neither comforting nor consoling. While I cannot speak for anyone else, I can speak for myself. There is plenty in my heart that I don't want anyone else to see, not even God. Tucked away in the dark recesses of my heart are all of my weaknesses, my shame, my lustful desires, my unholy thoughts and my burning rage. There in the closet of my soul I cower for shame, considering myself the runt of the litter. It seems the apostle and evangelist John understood these feelings. "By this we can know that we belong to the truth, so that we can be confident in his presence whenever our heart condemns us for having done wrong; for God is greater than our heart and He knows everything" (1 Jn. 3:19-22). It is a good thing for us that God does not judge people the same way we do. This is demonstrated in the way God overrode Samuel's choice and singled out David. Not focusing on the externals, God judges the movements of the heart. In his list of beatitudes, Matthew includes: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God" (Mat. 5:8). Having been made in the image and likeness of the One Whom we seek, we should not judge one another based on the world's standards. The world judges us on how we look, how we dress, and how successful we are. The reading from 1 Samuel reminds us that God knows all our deep dark secrets. God knows the shameful things that have been done to us. He also knows the addictive behaviors in which we are trapped. Knowing all our struggles, He proceeds to judge us on how we have formed our hearts and how well we have lived according to our consciences. Saint Paul took up this theme in his letter to the Romans. "After saying this, what can we add? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Is it conceivable that He Who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, would not graciously give us all His gifts along with him? (Rom. 8: 31-32) This being said, we should not worry about what others think when they look at us. We should be concerned about what God sees when He turns His gaze towards us. Through the mystery of the Incarnation, the Father sees and loves in us what He sees and loves in His Son. Salvation is presented to us as a gift that we are invited to accept. None of us is ever worthy of this grace. The bible tells us that the great king David was a deeply flawed human being. Actually, many of the Psalms are anthems to his regrets for his sins. In Christ, God extends his hand and waits for us to take it. God transcends physical appearance, in order that we might adore him, receive him, become one with him, and live forever with him. With the eyes of faith we transcend physical appearance and come into communion with the risen and glorious Lord. I will leave you with the words of the prayer recited while the sacred vessels are purified after each mass: "What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity". |
