The point of departure into this investigation is the question; how do we navigate life in this physical world while surrounded by the ever-present world of our invisible companions, the Angels, the Saints, and certainly, God Himself? How can we recognize the omnipresence of God in this very busy physical world?
Perhaps it is important to recognize the place of sin in this puzzle. And sin is always an offence against God. The problem of sin is that it blinds and numbs all our senses and prevents us from recognizing God. Even when God is so near to us, so near in fact that we should behold Him and receive Him in the Most Holy Eucharist. He is there, making little gentle whispers, accompanied by the little sweet sounds of the music of heaven. Are we able to behold the reality of the invisible hidden behind the visible? I shall recall for you one of the most beautiful prayers ever recorded in Scripture; it is the prayer of the poor blind beggar, Bartimaeus, who sat on the roadside when he suddenly heard that Jesus was passing by, and with faith that could move a mountain, he put his petition up to the one he could not even see, “Lord, let me receive my sight,” He said. (Mk.1051). Oh, how blind our eyes have become that we take no notice of our invisible companions!
When the Word that, as St. John says, was with God in the very beginning, the same Word being God Himself, took flesh from the ever-virgin and most blessed, Mary most holy, making His dwelling amongst us, and found to be human by all appearances, He gently approached as a shepherd in search of His lost sheep, and lovingly opened His arms as He mounted the wood of the Cross, to ransom, rescue, heal and restore, from Satan’s grasp, all those who recognize His parental call, drawing to Himself all who had been scattered on a day so dark and misty, in other words, on a day of evil. For, it is always dark when sin seems to prevail, when the sheep get scattered by evil. But why? Why is it that when Christ came to His own, His own people received Him not? Yet it was for their own good that He came!
As a shepherd, Christ wields the heavy Cross as His pastoral staff of a mighty shepherd, so heavy and powerful indeed that only Christ can lift it up. As the light and the life of humanity, He is placed on it so that all who look upon Him are healed of the snake bite and the poison of sin, and their sight restored. And just as Moses struck the rock in the desert to give people water to drink,
so Christ is struck by the soldier’s lance to give rise to endless streams of water and blood, infinite graces and mercies for the sinner. Christ is the true shepherd who leads His flock to greener pastures of His very life.
It is a terrible thing for someone lost and stranded on a strange Island, and often blinded by the enticements and the enchantments that graces the Island, only to miss out on the rescue team that had come to his aid. Now if we perceive the strange Island to take the place of this earth, and the advancements of technology to mean the enchantments that graces the Island, we certainly do not want to be left out, we do not want to miss out on the chariot of the heavenly hosts that have come to our aid.
Let us now take note of the Lord’s observation in today’s gospel. For the people to appear to him like sheep without a shepherd is very serious. This observation speaks to the present age as well, the obvious lack of commitment, and inadequacy of proper guidance. It speaks also to those who are still wandering about aimlessly without proper and defined religious affiliation or proper rule of life, with no laws, no limits, no knowledge, no right and wrong, no purpose in life, no proper definition of identity, no order. All these make our societies appear as sheep without a shepherd. And as a result of all of this investigation, this question is worth asking, is it the absence of the shepherd or the indifference to His presence that is the issue?
While speaking to those who demanded a sign to prove His authority and identity, so that they may believe in Him, our Lord said, “the queen of the south will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here!” Mt. 12:42.
On another occasion, our Lord wept over the city of Jerusalem, because the inhabitants of that city had not paid attention to the time of the Lord’s visitation. (Lk. 19:41). This is a serious warning to us as well. We must recognize the time of the Lord’s visit. We must always be vigilant. We must keep watch. The Grace of God is all around us and continues to incite our wills and desires toward what is holy, true and beautiful. Let us make effort to cooperate with God’s grace, to do what is right in the sight of God, to frequent the house of God, and to behold His Loving and tender Face of Mercy.
“Lord let me receive my sight”,
Let me see you! Amen.
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