24 September 2022
Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
We must take care to listen to the Lord, to receive His Word in our hearts and let that Word motivate us in all we do. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path. I make a solemn vow to observe your righteous judgments,” (Psalm 115:105-106) Scripture reminds us. Indeed St. Paul writes that, as Christians, “We walk by faith, not by sight,” (2 Corinthians 5:7), and if, as he also writes, “faith comes through hearing,” then unless we listen to the Word of God we will have no idea what to do, where to go and, indeed, we will be utterly blind.
At the very end of yesterday’s Gospel Jesus spoke of His impending Passion and Death. Today He declares it again, beginning with “Pay attention to what I am telling you,” as if to say, “You aren’t listening!” Why were they not listening? “…they were all amazed at his every deed.” They were so mesmerized by what Jesus was doing that they were not reflecting on those mighty deeds, were not listening, but only marveling at the spectacle of it all, putting aside His words regarding what He must suffer. We see this clearly in Matthew’s Gospel when, shortly after Peter confesses his faith in Jesus as the Son of God, Jesus speaks of His Passion and Peter immediately rebuked Him, saying, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you,” (Matthew 16:22). In other words, Peter refused to listen to Jesus, to receive His Word into His Heart, even if it was frightening or challenging. Thus, Jesus refers to Peter as Satan: why? Because, like Satan, Peter would not listen to God.
Consider, then, how well you listen to God, or seek to listen to Him. Do you listen to Him, and seek to carry out His word. If you find Him difficult to hear, or the meaning is hidden from you, as it was the disciples in our Gospel, do not be like them, too afraid to ask Jesus to help you understand. “Ask and it will be given to you,” He says, for “if you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him?” (Matthew 7:7, 11).