Seton Magazine Catholic Homeschool Articles, Advice & Resources
2nd Week of Advent
Scripture Reading: Matthew 17:9A, 10-13
In today’s Gospel reading, we see the danger of allowing our pre-conceived ideas and notions about God to blind us to the reality of His truth.
The scribes had their own vision – their own interpretation of Scripture – and this blinded them so much that when the fulfillment of those Scriptures appeared before their very eyes, they couldn’t recognize it, accept it, or believe in it. In their minds they had envisioned a certain second Elijah, a certain Messiah. Since John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth did not match the descriptions and visions which they had conjured up in their own minds, they rejected them. They refused to believe. They found it much easier to cling to their own pre-conceived ideas, notions, and interpretations than to let go of them altogether in order to embrace the truth. Thus, they became spiritually blind.
But what about us? Whether we want to accept this truth or not, sometimes we, too, can make this same mistake in our own lives. Perhaps you have been praying for something, waiting for God to do such and such or to send so and so into your life? But, like the scribes of old, you’ve painted a finely detailed portrait of how you believe God’s will and His response will look. You’ve already worked out in your own mind how everything is going to unfold in the day God answers your prayer.
Is it possible that He has already responded in many ways and you’re not recognizing that response because you’ve already envisioned how it will look? We must continually guard ourselves against the spiritual blindness of the scribes – a blindness which set in because they refused to let go of their own visions and interpretations regarding the Scriptures and what their fulfillment would look like. Is God’s answer standing right in front of you, but you’re looking beyond it for a response that matches what you have conjured up in your own mind? Are you unable to see the will of your Father standing right in front of you?
Write down any thoughts and reflections in your journal concerning today’s Gospel reading and how it may pertain to certain areas of your life in which you have been waiting and waiting and waiting for God to move and to manifest His will.
Is it possible that He already has responded and manifested His will, but you’re just not recognizing it?
