Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?...
Do you still not understand?”

As I hear the Teacher scolding his disciples I have an image in my mind of his poking his index finger at my forehead and trying to get this through my thick skull, “This is obvious; this is easy. Can you not see it? Don’t you get it?”

To see clearly in God’s world you have to use all your senses, including your intelligence, your intuition, your desires, your memories, your hopes, and your heart.

You must not be blinded by fears or desires or habits. Jesus is shouting at his disciples: Stop expecting to see what you expect to see!

Before this pressure – this pointing on my forehead, this exasperated teacher, this urgency -- I must slow down and let awareness seep into me.

I must take time to pray. Be patient with yourself and with your teacher. Don’t quit. Keep coming back. Let yourself and your teacher be frustrated until something breaks within you.

As we enter Lent, God wants to say something to each of us. We do not know what it is. We cannot anticipate it. We can listen.

Want a good Lenten resolution, useful and effective? Do one thing at a time. When you drive, drive. Don’t listen to the radio, text or take phone calls. When you work at your desk, put all your attention to the task at hand. When you telephone someone, do nothing else. When you watch TV, watch even the commercials. (Or quit and pull out a good book.)

Expect something you cannot expect this Lent. No matter its shape or form, it will be a blessing.