7th OT, Focus, 2023
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022123.cfm
If you get your eyes examined yearly, you know the drill: the left eye is covered. Which slide looks clearer…this one or that one? Same for the right eye. It’s all done, of course, so our eyes can focus clearly on what we’re seeing.
Our Gospel message today is all about where our spiritual focus should be. Were the apostles focusing on Jesus? Hardly. Even after he told them quite plainly that he was to be handed over to be killed, then rise on the 3rd day, they didn’t understand.
Instead, they were focused on themselves, discussing among themselves who was the greatest. That must have been some conversation when you know who was there. Was the greatest Peter, who would deny Christ? Matthew, who once was a cheating tax collector? Or maybe Judas, and we know his final chapter.
Jesus brought them back into focus by teaching that the greatest among them was a servant, and that we meet Jesus in the lowly ones. To make his point, he called up a child. Children, they all knew, held a lowly place in society. Jesus said: “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me."
It took a while for the apostles to understand, but finally Christ’s resurrection and the coming of the Spirit eventually refocused the disciples, so much so that their remaining years were spent centered on Jesus, not on themselves.
That is also how St. Peter Damian spent his life in the many roles he had. He was an orphan, laborer, student, monk, hermit, priest, theologian, teacher, writer, poet, penitent, prior, reformer, bishop, cardinal, and Doctor of the Church. In the eleventh century, the Church needed an unwavering and courageous voice for reform. Saint Peter Damian was that voice. Though his heart was most at home in his monastery doing penance and praying, he spent his time, at the request of his Bishop, reforming the corrupt parts of the church. Through his valiant efforts and determined focus, many parts of the church were restored.
Lent begins tomorrow and we’re invited to refocus more on Jesus and less on ourselves by praying, fasting and almsgiving.
- By prayer, we direct our thoughts beyond our own little world to God’s presence in others,
- By fasting, we die to self and our wants,
- By almsgiving, we become more aware of others’ needs and our opportunities to serve.
May we focus our hearts, minds, and bodies to Lent’s goal of deepening our relationship with Christ.
