Scientists tell us that the human eye only observes a small portion, .0035%, or 35 ten-thousands of a per cent to be exact, of all the world’s electromagnetic spectrum, which, I learned, includes types of light like radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and gamma rays. As we know from experience, our eyes only detect visible light. Most of the list I just mentioned is undetectable to our eyes.
In our gospel today, Jesus says to the apostles, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” It makes one wonder, what DID they see? They had just returned from a successful missionary adventure of their own and were excitedly telling Jesus all that they had done, much to their own surprise! They even had subjected demons.
What Jesus says to them is positive and affirming. He wanted them to see that he, Jesus, indeed, is the Messiah, the Light of the world. He is the One who reveals God’s salvation to them. Now the Apostles not only ‘see’ with their minds but have ‘insight’ in their hearts.
During this Advent season, could we hear Jesus saying to us “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see”? What a special opportunity we have this season to renew our relationship with Jesus and see him as our light.
We will even respond to our petitions every day this Advent by saying: Lord Jesus, light our way. With the insight of our hearts, we can affirm that there’s always light around us, in people, in creation, in scripture and prayer because Jesus is always and everywhere the light we can follow, even during those times when we feel there’s no light.
Can we see Jesus, our Light,
- in the circumstances of our lives,
- in both the joys and difficulties we experience,
- in the people we encounter,
- and in the needs of those around us?
May our lives, under very close scrutiny, prove that our thoughts, words, and actions are grounded in Jesus. Then, even though there are many kinds of light we can’t see, we can be as joyful as the Apostles when Jesus says to us about the most important light of all: “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.”
